Fed: First conviction under ACT s new environment protection law

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2000
Fed: First conviction under ACT s new environment protection law

CANBERRA, April 7 AAP - Canberra has sent a warning that environmental pollution will
not be tolerated in the ACT with the first conviction under the Environment Protection
Act this week.

Anthony James Sullivan of Majura House was found to have caused environmental harm
by pollution under the act after a failed gully filling operation on his property resulted
in soil being washed into Woolshed Creek in the Majura Valley.

The ACT Magistrates Court fined Mr Sullivan $500 plus court costs and also ordered
him to repair the damage done.

"This first conviction under the legislation demonstrates that the new environment
protection scheme is working and that if you are caught polluting our environment you
will pay," ACT Urban Services Minister Brendan Smyth said.

The act was recently amended to require lessees and occupiers to apply for an environmental
authorisation before placing 100 cubic metres or more of soil on rural land.

Mr Smyth said this change was aimed at controlling the increasingly common practice
of gully filling, involving the dumping of soil, rubble and other materials on rural land.

AAP eg/cjh u

KEYWORD: ENVIRONMENT

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