Public health issue Problem Enhancing EPA’s response Air quality Population growth, transport and urban Deploying the EPA’s expertise to provide development pressures increase risks influential advice to government on risk to air quality, which requires enhanced trends and emerging issues that have monitoring and regulatory vigilance. the potential to adversely affect public health (chapter 6). Air quality is influenced by a complex range of activities and the EPA has Active engagement with national limited influence on many factors. standard-setting processes to improve standards (chapter 6). Emergency events can have major impacts on air quality. Assess the adequacy of the EPA’s air monitoring network and consider options to improve data sharing and accessibility and community communications (chapter 6). General duty to strengthen prevention from diffuse sources, including through information and education influencing better practices across the community (chapter 12). Potential application of load-based licensing or tradeable permits (chapter 16). Water quality Water quality in waterways and bays is Assess the adequacy of the EPA’s water predominantly impacted by many small monitoring network and consider options and diffuse sources that the EPA’s to improve data sharing and accessibility licensing regime does not cover. and community communications. (chapter 6). Population growth and climate change are likely to exacerbate water Improved coordination across the quality issues. environment portfolio to coordinate using tools to tackle diffuse water These sources of pollution need to pollution (chapter 7). be addressed through a wider range of tools, involving the EPA and other General duty to strengthen prevention agencies. from smaller and diffuse sources, including through information and education influencing better practices across the community (chapter 12). Potential application of load-based licensing or tradeable permits (chapter 16). Dedicated local government environment protection officers in local governments will allow for more effective responses to pollution issues such as septic tanks (chapter 18).
Public health issue Problem Enhancing EPA’s response Air quality Population growth, transport and urban development pressures increase risks to air quality, which requires enhanced monitoring and regulatory vigilance. Air quality is influenced by a complex range of activities and the EPA has limited influence on many factors. Emergency events can have major impacts on air quality. Deploying the EPA’s expertise to provide influential advice to government on risk trends and emerging issues that have the potential to adversely affect public health (chapter 6). Active engagement with national standard-setting processes to improve standards (chapter 6). Assess the adequacy of the EPA’s air monitoring network and consider options to improve data sharing and accessibility and community communications (chapter 6). General duty to strengthen prevention from diffuse sources, including through information and education influencing better practices across the community (chapter 12). Potential application of load-based licensing or tradeable permits (chapter 16). Water quality Water quality in waterways and bays is predominantly impacted by many small and diffuse sources that the EPA’s licensing regime does not cover. Population growth and climate change are likely to exacerbate water quality issues. These sources of pollution need to be addressed through a wider range of tools, involving the EPA and other agencies. Assess the adequacy of the EPA’s water monitoring network and consider options to improve data sharing and accessibility and community communications. (chapter 6). Improved coordination across the environment portfolio to coordinate using tools to tackle diffuse water pollution (chapter 7). General duty to strengthen prevention from smaller and diffuse sources, including through information and education influencing better practices across the community (chapter 12). Potential application of load-based licensing or tradeable permits (chapter 16). Dedicated local government environment protection officers in local governments will allow for more effective responses to pollution issues such as septic tanks (chapter 18).