ENVS8418 Assignment 2 Group Assessment

Format: Prepare as a small group project a report or strategy based on an authentic task and write a personal reflection on the process

Maximum length: 40 pages *

This is a problem based learning and group assessment. The aim of this assessment is to strategically assess the environmental impact of a specific activity on the environment. This will require your group to prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for a swim activation site in the vicinity of Meadowbank along the Parramatta River.

The purpose of the assessment is to test your application of environmental and planning knowledge, problem based skills and working in a group. You will need to understand the legal requirements relevant to the development of a review of environmental factors, consider the specific site impacts and broader planning and policy landscape and contextualise your proposal and argue for its support.

This assessment will build on the knowledge, monitoring and observations you gain from the field trip.

*Inclusive of executive summary, visual summary, text, tables, maps, plans, photos, end/foot notes, references appendices. It is expected that this be formatted in a professional manner as though you were a consultant submitting the REF for development assessment to government or your client.

This assessment task relates to the following Unit Learning Outcomes:

• Understand and critically assess environmental plans and policies across multiple scales and jurisdictions
• Apply environmental and planning law and policy to the decision-making process of government and industry
• Identify and critically assess the interests, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved in environmental planning decisions
• Write for different target audiences

Topic

As a group task you are to prepare a review of environmental factors (REF) for a swim activation site along the Parramatta River proximate to Meadowbank. The REF would accompany a development application for a project. The preparation of a REF is the core business of most environmental consultants and planners. The iLearn site contains studies and reports that could be referenced. This is not exhaustive and you are expected to do additional research. Details of the proposed development and reference information will be provided in class and you will be assigned into your group prior to the field trip.

It is expected that during class time, and as part of your field work, you will start to develop an outline of what is required, identify and allocate within your group the tasks that need to be undertaken to complete your REF and use the tutorial time to discuss the assessment with the convenor.

While this is a group project, your individual contribution will be assessed through SPARKPLUS. Completing the peer review using SPARKPLUS is compulsory. If students do not complete their peer reviews they will receive zero marks for this assessment.

REF requirements

As a minimum, the REF should be informed by existing guidelines or examples of a similar activity. Any template or example needs to acknowledge that each site, project and legal and policy settings are different.  

You are encouraged to at least start with an REF  template and the associated headings. This will help you determining what to write, what may be relevant, how much attention should be given to the issue (considering page length) and what sort of information you need. Your REF should contain the following:

1. Proposal identification (Executive Summary)

• A brief statement describing the proposal
• A brief statement of the strategic need for the proposal
• Location
• Proposed operational staging (impact on existing users - if relevant)
• A list of major site and structural features
• A figure or map that provides an overview of the proposal, including key features
• The statutory framework for the carrying out the REF.

1. Project information

• Objectives
• Local and regional significance and need
• Alternative and options
• Preferred option

1. Description

• Physical environment
• Social environment

1. Construction

• What is involved
• How to minimise environmental impacts

1. Statutory and planning frameworks

• Relevant Act, SEPPs, LEPs

1. Consultation plan

• Who and how

1. Environmental assessment

This could link back or included within the description depending on complexity and your preferred structure and should be ordered by priority with the most important points first and in more detail

• Traffic and access
• Biodiversity
• Water quality
• Soil (including acid sulphate soils)
• Hydrology and flooding
• Noise
• Air quality
• Aboriginal heritage
• Non-Aboriginal heritage
• Socio-economic
• Land use
• Waste
• Resource use – community and natural resources
• Landscape character and visual impact
• Cumulative impacts
• Climate change.

1. Environmental management

Essentially how you are to manage the environmental impacts

1. Justification and conclusions
2. References

Resources and guidelines for preparing your response to this question:

• RMS (2014) Environmental assessment procedure for project review of environmental factors – roads. Available at: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/about/environment/planning-and-assessment/eia-guidelines-project-review-environmental-factors.pdf
• Local Government NSW Review of Environmental Factors template: https://www.lgnsw.org.au/files/imce-uploads/127/cremf-council-ref-template.docx
• Department of Planning and Environment (2018) Preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment. Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance Series June 2017. Available at: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/~/media/Files/DPE/Guidelines/guideline-4-draft-preparing-an-environmental-impact-statement-2017-06.ashx. Accessed 19 June 2020
• Department of Planning and Environment (2019) Secretary’s Assessment Requirements for integrated development. January 2019. Available at: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/shared-drupal-s3fs/master-test/fapub_pdf/Secretary's+Assessment+Requirements+-+25+February+2019.pdf Accessed 18 June 2020
• Lake Macquarie Council Preparing a statement of Environmental Effects: https://www.lakemac.com.au/downloads/2B25F9AA1FC53FF67EF92804C01F25969437D73E.pdf
• Department of Planning and Environment EIA: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/lodge-track-applications/lodge-your-application-or-certificate/lodge-your-application-department-0

Marking criteria

The final mark that each student will receive for the REF will be a moderated group mark based on the peer reviews. For further information, refer to the section below titled: Peer Review using SPARKPLUS.   

The inside front cover of your REF must contain a summary of the primary author for each section, the reviewer of the section, the overall project coordinator and who approved the final REF for submission. Note that the person that approves the REF will be the person that submits this via Turnitin.

In group work, having a peer review process is essential because takes into consideration the amount of time and effort that each member contributes to achieving the outputs (in this case, the report), as well as the different forms of contribution. Peer review allows the group mark to be adjusted for each group member accordingly.

This Assessment will enable students to develop a thorough knowledge of the REF process and how to consider an activity within an environmental and planning context.  You are expected to seek and use web sites and government data sets and apply this information at a site and regional level. This exercise is also about applied problem solving and how to design and articulate the benefits of an activity that has the least negative environmental impacts and if possible adds to the environmental amenity and capital of an area.