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Environmental
Standards
Environment Assessment Process for ATM Changes
(Standard and Explanatory Notes)
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
Document Number: AA-NOS-ENV-2.000
Approved By: s47F
Prepared By: s47F
,
Environment Standards; Directorate of
Safety and Environment Assurance
Approving Position: Manager, Standards
and Environment Branch, Directorate of Safety
and Environment Assurance.
Issue No: Issue 2
Issue Date: 29/05/2002
Ensure document is current before use, if not viewing control copy on AVNET
Note:
·
Explanatory Notes are included to give explanation, factual information or references
bearing on the Standard. They do not consti
by Airservices Australia pursuant totute part of the Standard.
Released
© Airservices Australia 2001.
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CONTENTS of the STANDARD
1.
PURPOSE ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
2.
PRINCIPLES ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1
ALL PROPOSALS........................................................................................................ 4
2.2
SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS RISKS.......................................................... 4
2.3
PROPOSALS WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS .................................................................... 4
2.4
RESPONSIBILITIES........................................................................................ ............. 6
3.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT........................................................................................ .......................... 7
3.1
SCREENING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK PROCESS ........................... .......................... 7
3.2
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS...................... .. ............................. 8
3.3
ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS ............................................ 10
3.4
ENVIRONMENTAL PRE-IMPLEMENTATION CHECK .......... . ......................................... 12
4.
DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................... ............................................................... 13
5.
AMENDMENT RECORD SHEET........................................... ......................................................................... 15
6.
REFERENCES / RELATED DOCUMENTS ..................................................................................................... 15
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
7.
APPENDICES: ................................................. .. ........................................................................................... 16
ENV 2.1: ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES FOR MINIMISING THE IMPACT OF AIRCRAFT
OPERATIONS ................................. .................................................................................... 16
ENV 2.2: ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES FOR MINIMISING THE IMPACT OF AIRCRAFT NOISE ... 16
ENV 2.3
ENVIRONMENT RISK SCREENING CRITERIA ........................................................ 16
ENV 2.4: INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR ATS PROPOSALS. 16
ENV 2.5: ATS ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS RISK MATRIX.................................................. 16
ENV 2.6: ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR ATS CHANGES - RECOMMENDED
PRACTICES 16
ENV 2.7 ATM TEMS USER GUIDE .................................................................................... 16
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1. Purpose
To establish a standard for the environmental assessment of proposed changes to
Airservices’ air traffic management practices that may involve a change to aircraft
operation (proposals).
The Standard provides a process, designed to ensure sound environmental management,
and to ensure appropriate due diligence activity, by facilitating:
· Compliance with environmental management requirements by:
· Identifying proposals that may have significant impacts and ensure that appropriate
assessment of these proposals is undertaken, as required under the
Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC);
· Ensuring air traffic management practices are conducted in a manner so that the
environment is protected, as far as is practicable, as required under the
Air Services
Act 1995; and
· Documenting the process to facilitate demonstration of due diligence.
· Management of environmentally related business risk.
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
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2. Principles
2.1 All Proposals
All proposed changes to Airservices’ air traffic management practices (proposals) that may
affect aircraft operations shall:
· Reflect environmental considerations in their design and must be consistent with
Airservices’ "Environmental Principles for Minimising the Impact of Aircraft Operations
(including Noise)" (See AA-NOS-ENV-2.100);
· Be recorded in TEMS (the database that supports the Airservices’ environmental
management system) and Airservices’ Request for Change (RFC) register by the
Proponent Manager;
· Be assessed in accordance with the ATM Environmental Assessment process outlined
in this Standard, and the outcome of the assessment (including whether
"Environmental Clearance" for implementation is established) shall be recorded and
approved using TEMS, and recorded in the RFC register and (where relevant) DAHAP;
· NOT be implemented without "Environmental Clearance" as designated in TEMS; and
· Be reassessed under the Environment Assessment process prior to implementation, if
the proposal has been modified after "Environmental Clearance” for implementation”
has been established in accordance with this Standard.
2.2
Significant Environmental Business Risks
All proposals assessed as having a “significant environment business risk” shall:
· Have an appropriate environmental risk management strategy (ie. objectives and
targets which aim to manage the environment related business risks) developed by the
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
Proponent Manager and these shal be recorded in TEMS;
· Be reported to the Board; and
· Be informally reported to Environment Australia, by the Manager Standards and
Environment Branch, DSEA, for their information - even if the environmental impact
assessment is not significant.
2.3
Proposals with Significant Impacts
All proposals assessed as having "significant impacts", shall be referred, by the
Environment Services Manager, to the Environment Minister for his advice, (unless the
Proponent Manager decides not to proceed with the proposal).
· The Environment Minister’s advice shall be considered by the CEO; and
· The action taken (eg in relation to implementation of the proposal) shall be recorded,
and if the Minister’s advice was not given effect, the reasons why, shall be documented
and forwarded to the Environment Minister, by the CEO, in accordance with the EPBC
Act.
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Explanatory Notes:
The environmental assessment requirements for airspace management are established
under the Commonwealth EPBC Act.
The EPBC Act requires Commonwealth agencies to:
q
obtain and consider advice from the Environment Minister before authorising any
change to an aviation airspace management plan / procedure, involving aircraft
operations that has or are likely to have a significant impact on the environment; and
q
report to the Environment Minister on the actions taken and the reason why the
Minister's advice was not given effect, if such a circumstance arises.
The Environment Minister may also request a referral of a proposal for his advice.
The EPBC Act assessment requirement for aviation airspace management differs from the
assessment requirements for all other actions (except that for major airport development &
foreign aid projects ie. those listed in Section 160).
All other actions (ie any action that will or is likely to have a significant impact on
Commonwealth land or a matter of national environmental significance, and any action
undertaken by a Commonwealth body that will or is likely to have a significant
environmental impact) must be referred to the Environment Minister (where provision for
public comment is made) and the Environment Minister decides:
q
if the action is likely to have a significant impact (and therefore whether the proposal
requires EPBC assessment);
q
the level of formal assessment required; and
q
subsequent to the assessment, whether the proposal has approval to proceed.
To maximise due diligence, in the absence of the option to refer the proposal to the
Environment Minister (for a decision on whether the impacts are likely to be significant and
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
subsequently the assessment requirements and whether the project is approved), the
Manager Standards and Environment Branch, will inform Environment Australia of all
proposals that are assessed as having significant business risk (eg high risk of strong
public concern).
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3. Environmental Assessment
Airservices’ ATM Environmental Assessment process incorporates four key elements:
1. Screening for Environmental Risk;
2. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
3. Environmental Business Risk Assessment (EBRA); and
4. Pre Implementation Check for "Environment Clearance".
See: Flowchart 1. Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Business Risk
Assessment Process
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Notes Explanatory:
The Environmental Assessment process has been designed to enhance efficiency of the
assessment process, while maintaining the rigour (effectiveness) of the system. Key
elements of its efficiency /effectiveness include:
q
Use of TEMS (a purpose built database that supports the Airservices’ environmental
management system) for screening of risks and environmental record management;
and
q
A staged approach to assessment with screening and initial assessment stages being
adopted to enable proposals with no risks or low-level impacts to be fast tracked
through the process.
3.1
Screening for Environmental Risk Process
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
The Proponent Manager shall:
1. Enter the proposal into TEMS and the RFC;
2. Undertake the Screening for Environmental Risk for all proposals using TEMS;
3. Advise Environment Services of the outcome; and
4. Record in the RFC, the Screening result (including whether "Environmental Clearance"
for implementation is established) and (where appropriate) DAHAP.
If the Screening result is:
· "Criteria Satisfies": then, “Environmental Clearance” (to be implemented) can be
established (without further assessment) by the Proponent Manager approving the
Screening result in TEMS.
· "Criteria Not Satisfied": then, EBRA and EIA are required.
For details (See AA-NOS-ENV-2.500) Environment Assessment Process for ATM Changes – Recommended
Practises
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Explanatory Notes:
Screening for Environmental Risk is:
q
A quick screening process to identify those:
q
proposals that may create a significant environmental risk and therefore require
Environmental Impact Assessment & Environmental Business Risk Assessment; &
q
proposal for which ATM Group may establish the “Environmental Clearance”, as
they have been screened as having no risk of creating a significant environmental
impact or business risk.
q
Compulsory for all proposals and is the first step in the ATM environmental
assessment process.
3.2
Environmental Impact Assessment Process
For all proposals that
do not satisfy the Environment Risk Screening Criteria:
· The Proponent Manager shall:
· Provide the proposal details necessary for the Environmental Assessment to the
Environment Services Manager; and
· The
Environment Services Manager, in managing Environment Impact Assessment
Process, shall:
· Undertake an
Initial Impact Assessment of all proposals that do not satisfy the
Environment Risk Screening Criteria;
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
· Undertake a
Full Impact Assessment for all proposals assessed in the Initial
Impact Assessment as requiring "Further Impact Assessment";
· Initiate and manage the
"Formal EPBC
Impact Assessment" for all proposals
assessed in the Full Impact Assessment as having or likely to have significant
impacts, Unless the Proponent Manager decides not to proceed with the proposal;
·
Document and approve the assessments, and record the findings in TEMS,; and
· Advise the Proponent Manager of the environmental impact assessment findings
and referencing this advice in TEMS.
· The
Proponent Manager shall:
· Record in the RFC, the EIA result (including whether "Environmental Clearance" for
implementation is established and any conditions).
· The
Standards and Environment Branch Manager shall:
·
Advise Environment Australia of all proposals and the EIA assessment findings
where the EBRA is significant environmental business risk.
These actions shal be undertaken in accordance with:
· this Standard;
by Airservices Australia pursuant to
· Environment Assessment process for ATM changes -Recommended Practices AA-
NOS-ENV-2.500,
· Environmental Principles for Minimising the Impact of Aircraft Operations (including
Noise) AA-NOS-ENV-2.100; and
· Initial Environmental Impact Assessment Process AA-NOS-ENV-2.300.
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Explanatory Notes:
The Environmental Impact Assessment process:
q
Is compulsory for all proposals that do not satisfy the Environment Risk Screening
Criteria (to establish whether ATM Group can establish “environmental clearance”.
q
Is designed to facilitate compliance with EPBC Act assessment requirements and Air
Services Act requirements to minimise the impacts, as far as practicable, and facilitate
due diligence; and
q
Is a three staged assessment process managed by the Environment Services
Manager, consisting of:
q
Initial Environmental Impact Assessment: a quick assessment process to identify
proposals that can be implemented without a full impact assessment (ie where the
initial assessment indicates that there is no potential for significant impacts and the
impacts have been minimised). This is undertaken for all proposals that do not
satisfy the Environment Risk Screening Criteria;
q
Full Environmental Impact Assessment: A rigorous assessment to determine if
impacts may be significant or impacts are not minimised. This is only undertaken for
proposals assessed as requiring "Further Assessment" in the Initial Environmental
Assessment; and
q
Formal EPBC Impact Assessment: A formal system of assessment undertaken in
accordance with the EPBC Act requirements and considering the advice of the
Environment Minister. This shall be undertaken for all proposals assessed as
having, or likely to have "significant environmental impacts", unless the Proponent
Manager decides not to proceed with the proposal; and
q
Identifies proposals within 3 categories. Proposals that:
q
Minimise the impacts on the environment, as far as practicable, (as required under
Air Service Act) and do not have the potential to create significant impacts (an
EPBC Act requirement) and establishes such proposals have "Environmental
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
Clearance" to be implemented;
q
Have significant impacts and therefore require formal assessment under the EPBC
Act and ensures that appropriate formal assessment under the EPBC Act is
implemented; and
q
Do not minimise the impact on the environment, as far as practicable, (as required
under Air Services Act) and therefore need to be modified to minimise the impacts
prior to implementation.
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3.3
Environment Business Risk Assessment Process
The Airservices’ ATM environmental business risk assessment process incorporates three
elements:
1. Identification of significant environmental business risk through the Environmental
Business Risk Assessment (EBRA);
2. Development of environmental business risks mitigation strategies for proposals with
significant environmental business risks; and
3. Reporting of significant business risks (and their mitigation strategies) to the Board.
3.3.1 Environment Business Risk Assessment
The Environment Service Manager shall:
· Undertake an assessment of the Environmental Business Risk (using TEMS) for all
proposals that do not satisfy the Environment Risk Screening Criteria;
· Record the outcome in TEMS; and
· Inform the Proponent Manager of the outcome.
The Proponent Manager shall
· Record in the RFC, the EBRA result (ie whether it is a “Significant Environmental
Business Risk”).
3.3.2 Environment Business Risk Strategy
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
For all proposals that are assessed as having a significant environment business
risk, the
Proponent Manager shall:
· Develop an Environmental Business Risk Strategy to manage the business risks by
recording in TEMS, objectives and targets;
· Record in the RFC, a reference to the Environmental Business Risk Strategy; and
· Implement the strategy (objectives and targets) and record its implementation in
TEMS.
For details - See:
·
AA-NOS-ENV-2.500, Environment Assessment process for ATM changes -Recommended Practice;
3.3.3 Reporting of Environment Business Risk
The Director of Safety and Environment Assurance shall report the significant environment
business risk (and their mitigation strategies) to the Board.
by Airservices Australia pursuant to
For details - See:
·
AA-NOS-ENV-2.500, Environment Assessment process for ATM changes -Recommended Practice;
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Explanatory Notes:
Environmental Business Risk Assessment is designed to identify early in a proposals’
Released
development, if the proposal may raise significant environmental business risk and
establishes a framework for managing these risks.
A proposal may raise significant environmental related business risks for Airservices, even
though it may not have significant environmental impacts, under EPBC Act. Usually such
risks are associated with public outrage.
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3.4
Environmental Pre-Implementation Check
Airservices’ Environmental Pre-Implementation Check process incorporates two elements:
1. A pre-implementation check of the RFC, prior to the operational implementation of the
proposal, to ensure that the proposal has “Environmental Clearance”; and
2. Recording implementation of the proposal in TEMS.
3.4.1
Pre-implementation check
The Implementation / Production Unit Manager shal , prior to implementation of any
proposal, verify, using the RFC, that "Environmental Clearance" has been established. It is
the Proponent Manager’s responsibility to ensure that this occurs.
·
If "Environmental Clearance" is recorded in the RFC, the Production /
Implementation Unit Manager may (from an environmental perspective) proceed with
implementation.
·
If "Environmental Clearance" is not recorded in the RFC, the Production /
Implementation Unit Manager, shall :
· Not implement the proposal, until "Environmental Clearance" has been established
and recorded in the RFC; and
· Inform the Proponent Manager that the proposal is not being implemented because
it does not have "Environmental Clearance".the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
3.4.2
Recording Implementation in TEMS
After a proposal becomes operational, the Proponent Manager (or the Implementation /
Production Unit Manager, on behalf of the Proponent Manager) shall record in TEMS (and
may record in the RFC register and DAHAP) that the proposal has been implemented.
For details - See:
·
AA-NOS-ENV-2.500, Environment Assessment process for ATM changes -Recommended Practice;
·
AA-NOS-ENV-2.600, Environment Assessment process for ATM changes Use Guide
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Explanatory Notes:
Pre- Implemental Check (of "Environment Clearance"): is a "safety -net" to help ensure
proposals are not implemented without "Environmental Clearance" and to record the
implementation / cancellation of proposals.
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4. Definitions and Acronyms
ATM
Air traffic management
DAHAP
Designated Airspace Handbook Amendment Proposal
EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment
EBRA
Environmental Business Risk Assessment
Environmental Business Risk Strategy
The risk mitigation strategy required for all proposals with a EBRA assessment of
“significant environmental business risk”. It is developed by recording, in TEMS, objectives
and targets.
Environmental Clearance
Indicates that from an environmental perspective the proposal has clearance to be
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
implemented as the proposal has been assessed as not having significant impacts and the
impacts have been minimised. A proposal cannot be implemented without "Environmental
Clearance". "Environmental Clearance" is established in TEMS (in the "Risk Assessment
Window”) and then recorded in the RFC.
Environmental Risk Screening Criteria
The criteria used to determine if Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental
Business Risk assessment is required.
See also: AA ENV 2.2
Environmental Sensitive Area
An area of high conservations value (including biosphere reserves, world heritage areas,
Commonwealth reserves, Ramsar wetlands, National Parks and conservation reserves) or
areas of highly sensitive to aircraft noise.
EMS
Environmental Management System
by Airservices Australia pursuant to
EPBC Act
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Manager
Released Responsible Manager in Airservices or their delegate
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Production / Implementation Unit Manager
The Manager, whose actions will or may result in the proposal becoming operational. This
may or may not be the Proponent Manager
Proponent Manager
Manager of the Business Centre which is responsible for the management of the proposal,
or the Manager’s delegate.
Proposal
Proposal is any change in Airservices’ air traffic management practices that may affect
aircraft movements. This would include, but would not be limited to, proposals to alter or
introduce:
· New or amendments to an instrument approach,
· A new or amendment to an existing flight path or air route,
· Re-classification of air space,
· Change to preferred runways,
· Change in time of day of operation (eg amendments to tower hours of operations –
as the time of day that a tower operates may alter the flight path used by aircraft,);
· A change to a support system that may influence the capacity or mode of operation
of an of ATC unit;
· A change that allows use of a flight path / airspace by different type or number of
aircraft.
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
A tactical decision of an air traffic controller to alter the track of an individual aircraft does
not institute a proposal.
Proposal – for Environmental Assessment document
The documentation of the proposal prepared by a
Proponent Manager that forms the
basis for environmental assessment.
RFC
Request for Change registers, which are managed by the Business Centres.
Significant Environmental Impacts
A proposal assessed as having significant impact in accordance with the EPBC Act
Significant Environment Business Risk
A proposal assessed in Environmental Business Risk Assessment as having significant
business risks associated with the environmental impacts of the proposal. . A proposal may
be a significant environmental business risk without having significant environmental
impacts, for example a change in an air route that causes public concern but does not have
by Airservices Australia pursuant to
a significant impact in terms of noise.
Small Remote Communities
Small residential areas located in a "Designated Remote Area" on En Route Charts -ERC
(low) or in ERSA (GEN - FIS - In Flight) - (Central Australia).
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TEMS
Tool for Environmental Management
. This is the database used to record data arising from
Airservices’ EMS. It is available on request by contacting IT Help Desk 5555.
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5. Amendment Record Sheet
The control copy of this document is located on:
http://fmamwww/osgdoco/search.phtml?format=verbose¤t=on&underreview=on&can
celled=on&field1=docnum&value1=AA-NOS-ENV-2.000
A record of changes to this standard is recorded below.
Amendment
Section Amended
Amended by
Date
Issue 1
Original
DSEA
8 June 2001
Issue 2
Front Cover:
DSEA
29 May 2002
Directorate Title,
Document Number
6. References / related documents
· Airservices’ Environment Policy
· TEMS data base
· RFC Register(s)
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
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7. Appendices:
(Note: These appendices form part of the Standard)
AA-NOS-ENV-2.100: Environmental Principles for
Minimising the Impact of Aircraft Operations
(including Noise)
AA-NOS-ENV-2.200: Environment Risk Screening Criteria
Details the Criteria used in TEMS for the Screening for Environmental Risk
AA-NOS ENV-2.300: Environmental Impact Assessment
Process for ATM proposals undertaken by
Environment Services
Outlines in flow-chart form the Initial Environment Impact Assessment Process for ARS
proposals that is undertaken by Environment Services
AA-NOS-ENV-2.400: ATM Environmental Business Risk
Matrix
Details the Matrix used in TEMS to assess the Environmental Business Risks of ATM
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
proposals
AA-NOS-ENV-2.500: Environment Assessment Process
for ATM Changes - Recommended Practices
(Under Development)
Provides details of the Environmental Assessment Process for ATM changes. As such
it provides the benchmark for audits and a reference for users of the standard
Note: Recommended practices are practices that Business units should follow unless
the alternative use, better meets the purpose and requirements of the Standard, or
increases efficiency while meeting the Standard’s requirements and providing an
effective due diligence system for Airservices. As such recommended practices
provide a detailed reference for users of the Standard and a benchmark for auditing.
AA-NOS-ENV-2.600: ATM TEMS User Guide (Under
Development
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Provides a user guide for TEMS users.
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