(1)   Has an assessment been made in relation to the effluent outfall of the proposed Gunns Limited pulp mill in northern Tasmania and its impact on the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

(2)   Research undertaken by Dr Stewart Godfrey, a retired Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation oceanographer, found that the mill’s effluent will impact on both Commonwealth and Tasmanian waters and given that the department has received Dr Godfrey’s research and accepted further advice that it is scientifically sound, what is the department doing to ensure Commonwealth marine waters and species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are not exposed to these effluent loads.

(3)   Is the Commonwealth in receipt of scientific advice that the mill will breach Commonwealth conditions each day of its operation if it does not install a tertiary treatment plant.

(4)   If sewage effluent is added to the outfall pipe, will a new Commonwealth approval be required.

(1)   The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is not a listed species under the EPBC Act. The assessment process looked closely at impacts on the Commonwealth Marine Area, which incorporates all elements of the environment, including dolphins.

(2)   The approval conditions contain a range of measures to protect the Commonwealth marine area and listed species; including requirements for additional modelling to determine the fate of effluents, comprehensive monitoring programs over the life of the project, the setting of limits and trigger levels for effluent concentrations, and response strategies should triggers and maximum limits be reached.

(3)   No.

(4)   Any action not covered by the original approval would need separate EPBC Act approval if it will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance.