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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Review existing site and/or locality information
  2. Identify relevant environmental indicators for site and/or locality
  3. Analyse data to establish site condition
  4. Report findings

Range Statement

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Legislation, regulations, standards, codes, workplace procedures and/or requirements include the latest version of one or more of:

federal legislation, such as Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Australian Heritage Council Act, Native Title Act and National Environmental Protection Measures

state/territory government legislation and regulations and local government by-laws, policies, and plans dealing with: land use, acquisition, planning and protection; environmental protection; cultural/heritage sites; vegetation management; nature conservation, wildlife/plant protection; water and water management; soil conservation; pollution and contaminated sites; fisheries, forestry and mining operations

legislation, standards and codes of practice for work health and safety (WHS)

Australian and international standards covering environmental management such as: AS/NZS ISO 14000 Basic Set:2007 Environmental Management Basic Set, and AS ISO 14050 Environmental management – Vocabulary

ANZECC Core environmental indicators for reporting on the state of the environment, ANZECC Guidelines for fresh and marine water quality, OECD Key environmental indicators, US Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Environmental indicators gateway

national strategy for the conservation of Australia’s biological diversity

site-specific requirements and specific environmental standards.

Project activity or process includes making contributions to one or more of:

environmental studies

environmental impact statements

environmental impact assessments

environmental monitoring programs

and where these contributions are consistent with the role of an environmental officer working under the supervision of an environmental scientist, engineer or planner.

Site or locality information includes one or more of:

notice of intention and initial advice statement

environmental impact assessment

environmental impact statement

public environment report

environmental indicators

national environment protection measures

statutory environmental quality concentration limits

data in existing databases, such as vegetation, topography, soils and regional ecosystem maps

geological, hydro geological, ecological and meteorological data for site

environmental management plans for specific site, locality or project

site environmental management procedures and actions for specific issues

site environmental management action checklists

relevant site reports, case studies and good practice models.

Site-relevant environmental indicators include one or more of:

atmospheric indicators, such as:

exceedances of national environment protection measures

air quality standards for gases and particulates

emissions of air pollutants

greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric concentrations

water indicators, such as:

water salinity

exceedances of groundwater and surface water quality guidelines

water extraction versus availability

environmental flows objectives

health of aquatic habitats

wastewater treatment

estuarine and marine water quality

land indicators, such as:

salinity and acidity

potential for erosion

exceedances of maximum residue levels

biodiversity indicators, such as:

threatening processes

loss of biodiversity

biodiversity conservation management.

Environmental chemistry principles and concepts include one or more of:

biogeochemical cycles

aquatic chemistry

aquatic microbial biochemistry

water pollution, such as:

trace elements and heavy metals

inorganic pollutants

trace organic pollutants

sewage (e.g. biological oxygen demand (BOD), pathogens and detergents)

chemical carcinogens

sediments

radionuclides

water and wastewater treatment

atmosphere and atmospheric chemistry, such as:

structure and composition

inversions and air pollution

meteorology, weather and climate

atmospheric particulates

inorganic air pollutants, including CO, SOX, NOX, acid rain, ammonia and chlorine compounds

organic air pollutants and photochemical smog

soil chemistry, such as:

soil and agriculture

macronutrients and micronutrients in soil

contaminated soil

soil loss and degradation

environmental chemistry of hazardous wastes

environmental toxicological chemistry.

Biodiversity principles and concepts include one or more of:

scope (levels) of biodiversity, such as genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity

biodiversity attributes, such as components, patterns and processes

bioregional planning and management

biodiversity and the balance between conservation and ecologically sustainable development

biodiversity and ecosystem health, such as soil fertility, clean freshwater and clean air

managing threatening processes, such as:

land clearing and habitat loss

alien species

pollution control

fire

climate change.

WHS and environmental management requirements include:

· compliance with relevant federal/state/territory WHS legislation at all times

· assuming that samples are potentially hazardous and applying standard precautions

accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and state/territory Departments of Health, where relevant.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

locating and analysing relevant environmental data/reports/indicators and/or limits and using appropriate scientific concepts/principles to provide a systematic, reliable appraisal of the environmental condition for at least one (1) site or locality

demonstrating an understanding of the legislative and planning framework that applies to environmental site appraisal

researching, reviewing and concisely documenting site environmental history using appropriate scientific terminology

identifying and compiling/collating available data that is potentially relevant to assessment of site environmental pollution and/or degradation

identifying relevant environmental indicators for the site and/or locality

using computer software (e.g. databases, spreadsheets and specialist programs) to process and present data

analysing available data in comparison with core environmental indicators, established standards, regulatory limits, and statutory environmental quality concentration limits or similar and determining the significance of results for site/project

seeking advice when issues/problems are beyond scope of competence/responsibility

presenting the findings and details of environmental assessment process to stakeholders

reporting the environmental condition of a site and/or locality in the required format and expected timeframe.

Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

scientific terminology relevant to job role, use of environmental indicators, assessment of environmental pollution and environmental degradation

fundamental concepts and principles in chemistry, physics, geology and biology to support a scientific, systematic approach to the evaluation of environmental degradation

fundamentals of environmental chemistry, including:

natural and modified hydrologic cycle

aquatic chemistry in natural and polluted waters

water pollutants, such as heavy metals, inorganics, organics, nutrients and pesticides

atmosphere and its composition, structure and circulation

atmospheric stability and instability, such as lapse rates and inversions

atmospheric pollutants, such as particulates, inorganic air pollutants and organic air pollutants

awareness of climate change science

soil chemistry

hazardous wastes and toxicological chemistry

concepts of biodiversity stresses, including:

land clearing and loss of habitat

threatened and vulnerable species and ecological communities

introduced species

specific legislation, strategies, policies and codes of practice related to environmental pollution and biodiversity

relevant hazards, health, safety and environment requirements.