Environmental Control of Coastal Development

In recent years the upsurge in Australian resource exploitation has fostered a high level of ooastal development. Much of this has been concentrated near major population centres, and has highlighted the need for a comprehensive management system to protect the coastal environment. It is becoming increasingly necessary for the engineering profession to be familiar with all aspects of such management systems, including legislative controls, impact assessment prior to development, establishment of a management structure, community participation and education, and research and monitoring. This paper attempts to critically analyse existing manangement systems, with particular emphasis on impact assessment and its role in the management process. Legislative controls are implemented through a plethora of acts and regulations - the most important elements of these are reviewed, state by state, highlighting areas of omission or inconsistency. The Government requirement for environmental impact assessment is of particular importance to coastal development, as it can cause prolonged delays, major changes to project design or even prevent the project from going ahead. The effectiveness of environmental legislation as a basis for coastal management is discussed, with particular reference to two developments: Proposal for offshore aggregate extraction near the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, and a proposal for upgrading of three ocean outfalls at Sydney. Environmental problems affecting these developments are discussed and possible alternative approaches examined.