Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2021] NSWLEC 4

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2021] NSWLEC 4 Hearing dates: 17 December 2020 Date of orders: 28 January 2021 Decision date: 28 January 2021 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [249]. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES: sewerage overflow – breach of environment protection licence condition – failure to comply with clean-up notice – pleas of guilty – determination of appropriate sentence – whether failure to comply with clean-up notice a continuing offence – extent of harm caused by the commission of the offences – whether the offences committed negligently or recklessly – whether the De Simoni principle applies – subjective circumstances of the offender – prior convictions for environmental offences – monetary penalty imposed – part of monetary penalty imposed to be paid to council for environmental project – moiety ordered – publication order made. Legislation Cited: Clean Waters Act 1970, s 16(1) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A(2), 21A(3) Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B, 257G Fines Act 1996, s 122 Pollution Control Act 1970, s17D(9) Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 64, 91, 116, 120, 149, 241, 242(1), 248, 250(1)(a), 250(1)(e) Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority [2001] NSWCCA 280; (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Cessnock City Council v Quintaz Pty Limited; Cessnock City Council v McCudden [2010] NSWLEC 3; (2010) 172 LGERA 52 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Brummell [2019] NSWLEC 114; (2019) 242 LGERA 241 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Orica Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Orica Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 109 Chief Executive Office of Environment and Heritage v Rummery [2012] NSWLEC 271; (2012) 192 LGERA 314 Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Premier and Cabinet v Turnbull [2014] NSWLEC 150 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson (No 2) [2015] NSWLEC 110 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Albiston [2020] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Alkem Drums [2000] NSWCCA 416; (2000) 113 LGERA 130 In Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289; (2006) 148 LGERA 278 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Company Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 58 Environment Protection Authority v Crown in Right of New South Wales [2019] NSWLEC 178 Environment Protection Authority v D F Herbert Pty Limited [2006] NSWLEC 575 Environment Protection Authority v Ditchfield Contracting Pty Ltd [2018] NSWLEC 90 Environment Protection Authority v Ecolab Pty Limited [2002] NSWLEC 206; (2002) 123 LGERA 269 Environment Protection Authority v Hawkesbury City Council [2017] NSWLEC 39 Environment Protection Authority v Hunter Water Corporation [2016] NSWLEC 76 Environment Protection Authority v Imad Osman-Kerim [2017] NSWLEC 63 Environment Protection Authority v Incitec Limited [2003] NSWLEC 381 Environment Protection Authority v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 65 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (the Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103; (2014) 206 LGERA 239 Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 220; (2012) 192 LGERA 415 Environment Protection Authority v Ravensworth Operations Pty Limited [2012] NSWLEC 222 Environment Protection Authority v Snowy Hydro Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 264; (2008) 162 LGERA 273 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [1998] NSWLEC 144 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 156 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2015] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2020] NSWLEC 153 Environment Protection Authority v Tea Garden Farms Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 89 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Environment Protection Authority v Whitehaven Coal Mining Limited [2019] NSWLEC 27; (2019) 239 LGERA 31 Environment Protection Authority v Wollondilly Abattoirs Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 72 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Fish [2010] NSWLEC 144; (2010) 179 LGERA 386 Gore v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 330; 208 A Crim R 353 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84; (2014) 86 NSWLR 422 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Liverpool City Council v Leppington Pastoral [2010] NSWLEC 170 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Muldrock v R [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 Plath v Vaccount Pty Ltd t/as Tableland Timbers [2011] NSWLEC 202 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Dib [2003] NSWCCA 117 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v DP [2019] NSWCCA 55 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 R v Wickham [2004] NSWCCA 193 Samuel v R [2017] NSWCCA 239 Sloggett v Adams (1953) 70 WN (NSW) 206 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Walden v Hensler [1987] HCA 54; (1987) 163 CLR 561 Water NSW v Barlow [2019] NSWLEC 30; (2019) 244 LGERA 1 Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Sydney Water Corporation (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: G Wright (Prosecutor) S Hall (Defendant) Solicitors: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Maddocks Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): 2019/286475 and 2019/286476