Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:3:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 6/9)
Character Range: 1165925–1169065

is not impacting on-site or off-site ecological values. Post-management/remediation monitoring may also be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of site management or remediation.

Monitoring may include chemical monitoring to demonstrate that the level of exposure continues to be acceptable, or biological monitoring to demonstrate that exposure continues to be acceptable and/or that residing species and populations are not being affected or that key species are returning to the site. Results from this monitoring process feed back into the risk management decision-making process to determine further outcomes.

    3.4.3          Site management/remediation
Site management/remediation is one of two potential outcomes when the on-site soil concentration of contaminants, including mixtures of the contaminants, exceeds the EIL or EILmixture. Site management includes any active control at the site that reduces the ecological impact to an acceptable level.

This may include reducing the exposure of biota to the contaminants by reducing their exposure to the site (for example, fencing), maintaining a physical condition of the soil that reduces the contaminants' availability/mobility, immobilising the soil contaminants or removing the soil contaminants (that is, remediation). Monitoring is an essential part of any site management/remediation program to assess the effectiveness of the program in reducing ecological impact.

    3.4.4          Proceeding from a Preliminary ERA to a Definitive ERA
Alternately, where there is reasonable certainty that an impact has occurred, is occurring or may occur at some time in the future, the decision may be made to move from a Preliminary ERA to a Definitive ERA.

3.5              Ecological values
An important part of assessing a contaminated site is identifying what ecological values are present at the site or nearby and which are to be protected. Ecological values are flora, fauna and supporting ecological processes (that is, factors that influence a species' ability to grow, survive, develop and reproduce, and remain viable) that are associated with a defined piece of land and are considered to have societal, cultural, ecological and/or economic significance.

Ecological values naturally vary from site to site according to variation in the natural habitat, the degree to which humans have physically altered the natural environment and the expectations of society. Ecological values can be established for any environment being assessed. There are two types of ecological values—generic and site-specific. Both are discussed below.

    3.5.1          Generic ecological values
The aim of the EILs is that varying levels of protection will be provided to the following ecological receptors at all sites:
    * biota supporting ecological processes, including microorganisms and soil invertebrates
    * native flora and fauna
    * introduced flora and fauna
    * transitory or permanent wildlife.
Hereafter, the above list of protected organisms will be referred to as 'species and supporting ecological processes'.

The level of protection provided to species and