Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289

Reported Decision : (2006) 148 LGERA 278

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289

PROSECUTOR Environment Protection Authority PARTIES : DEFENDANT Ballina Shire Council

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50045 of 2005

CORAM: Preston CJ

KEY ISSUES: Prosecution :- offence against s 64(1) of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 - contravention of condition of environment protection licence - failure to carry out monitoring of leachate volumes at waste landfill in accordance with condition of licence for a period of over two years - defendant submitted annual reports to EPA failing to disclose lack of required leachate monitoring - circumstances objectively serious - monitoring important in adaptive management - plea of guilty - mitigating circumstances

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s 3A LEGISLATION CITED: Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 s 64(1) Waste Minimisation and Management Act 1995

Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683; Director-General, National Parks and Wildlife v Wilkinson [2002] NSWLEC 171 (27 September 2002); Environment Protection Authority v Bellingen Shire Council [2003] NSWLEC 42 (17 December 2002); Environment Protection Authority v BlueScope Steel (AIS) Pty Limited [2004] NSWLEC 400 (27 July 2004); Environment Protection Authority v Capdate Pty Limited (1993) 78 LGERA 349; Environment Protection Authority v Coffs Harbour Hardwoods (Trading) Pty Limited (2004) NSWLEC 563 (13 October 2004); Environment Protection Authority v Collex Pty Limited (2001) 115 LGERA 337; Environment Protection Authority v Hochtief AG [2006] NSWLEC 200 (28 April 2005); CASES CITED: Environment Protection Authority v Lithgow City Council [2003] NSWLEC 425 (18 August 2003); Environment Protection Authority v Midcoast County Council (trading as Midcoast Water) (2003) 136 LGERA 233; Environment Protection Authority v Norco Co-operative Limited (2000) 108 LGERA 137; Environment Protection Authority v Pasminco Broken Hill Mines Pty Limited [2002] NSWLEC 70 (8 May 2002); Environment Protection Authority v Port Kembla Copper Pty Limited (2001) 115 LGERA 391; Environment Protection Authority v Tenterfield Shire Council (2000) 112 LGERA 173; R v Rushby (1977) 1 NSWLR 594; R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; State Pollution Control Commission v Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd (No 1) (1991) 74 LGRA 351; State Pollution Control Commission v CSR Limited (1989) 75 LGERA 1