About the Environmental Response core capability

To assess and manage the consequences to the community, environmental values, domestic animals and livestock of a hazardous materials release, naturally occurring pests or biological hazard.

Critical Task Table 16: Agency roles mapped to the Victorian Preparedness Framework, by critical tasks within the Environmental Response core capability

 

Critical Task 16.1: Conduct risk / epidemiological assessments and identify consequence management strategies.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

Airservices Australia

Subject to its regulatory obligations, Airservices Australia may provide assistance to state agencies in other emergencies that cause or threaten to cause death or injury to persons, damage to property, harm to the environment and disruption to essential services, including:

initial hazardous materials response on or in the vicinity of designated airports

3.2, 16.7

DELWP

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to:

 
  • survey and mitigate risks to protect threatened bird, marsupial, aquatic and plant species affected by emergencies on land within its portfolio and provide advisory services to others

4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 16.2

  • coordinate waste pollution management strategies
 

DJPR

Control agency for biosecurity incursions, emergency animal disease outbreaks (including bees and aquaculture), plant pest or disease outbreaks (including plague locusts), invasive plant, animal and exotic marine pest incursions and rapid and significant increases in established pest populations (vertebrate pests and plagues)

3.1, 15.7, 16.2

Melbourne Water

Provide advice and support to the control agency and other response agencies regarding the impact of an incident or emergency (including pollution to waterways) within Melbourne Water’s waterway management district

3.2, 11.1

VFA

Key support agency to:

 
  • respond to Blue-green algae blooms where these impact on fisheries and fishing

3.2, 16.2

  • respond to fish mortality (fish deaths) events, including an initial impact assessment and notifying the relevant control agency if the cause relates /is suspected to relate to hazards managed by that agency e.g. exotic animal disease, pollution, blue-green algae bloom

3.2, 11.1, 11.3, 16.2, 16.3

  • responding to marine pest incursions
 

Key support agency to sample shellfish for marine biotoxin contamination

3.2, 16.2

 

Critical Task 16.2: Conduct monitoring and surveillance activities.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

DELWP

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to survey and mitigate risks to protect threatened bird, marsupial, aquatic and plant species affected by emergencies on land within its portfolio and provide advisory services to others

4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 16.1

DJPR

 

Promote resilience through monitoring and surveillance programs for agricultural and environmental pests and diseases that meet State and National trade needs

4.3

Control agency for biosecurity incursions, emergency animal disease outbreaks (including bees and aquaculture), plant pest or disease outbreaks (including plague locusts), invasive plant, animal and exotic marine pest incursions and rapid and significant increases in established pest populations (vertebrate pests and plagues)

3.1, 15.7, 16.1

EPA

As a technical support agency:

 
  • respond to and assess reports of pollution from the community, industry, government agencies and emergency services

3.2, 4.4

  • provide environmental monitoring to inform the provision of advice in coordination with other support agencies
 

LSV

Provide air and sea marine animal detection services in support of the VFA

3.2

NOPSEMA

Develop and implement effective monitoring and enforcement strategies to secure compliance for occupational health and safety, well integrity and environmental management in offshore petroleum operations and offshore greenhouse gas well operations and environmental management of greenhouse gas storage activities

1.3, 4.3

Parks Victoria

Develop and administer procedures and guidelines to ensure processes are in place to manage potential risks associated with dams managed by PV consistent with the Strategic Framework for Dam Safety Regulations. Mitigation activities include:

  • implementing dam safety monitoring procedures for PV dams
  • developing emergency management plans for large dams
  • undertaking periodic training and exercising to ensure the emergency management plan and associated business continuity plan is tested and can be implemented effectively

1.1, 1.5, 1.6

Ports Victoria Monitor the movement and compliance with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) / AMSA and WorkSafe Victoria dangerous goods requirements through port waters  

VFA

 

Key support agency to respond to Blue-green algae blooms where these impact on fisheries and fishing

3.2, 16.1

respond to fish mortality (fish deaths) events, including an initial impact assessment and notifying the relevant control agency if the cause relates /is suspected to relate to hazards managed by that agency e.g. exotic animal disease, pollution, blue-green algae bloom

3.2, 11.1, 11.3, 16.1, 16.3

Key support agency for DH to respond to food contamination involving fish in Victorian waters

3.2, 16.3

Key support agency to sample shellfish for marine biotoxin contamination

3.2, 16.1

 

Critical Task 16.3: Coordinate the delivery of diagnostic services.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

VFA

Key support agency to respond to fish mortality (fish deaths) events, including an initial impact assessment and notifying the relevant control agency if the cause relates /is suspected to relate to hazards managed by that agency e.g. exotic animal disease, pollution, blue-green algae bloom

3.2, 11.1, 11.3, 16.1, 16.2

Key support agency for DH to respond to food contamination involving fish in Victorian waters

3.2, 16.2

Parks Victoria

Assist in the response to blue-green algal blooms by erecting relevant signage and taking water samples. This is described in the Blue Green Algae Circular where PV is the designated waterway manager under the Marine Act 1988, (e.g. Albert Park Lake, lower reaches of the Barwon River system (including Lake Connewarre, Lysterfield Lake and Tower Hill) under the direction of the relevant CMAs

3.2, 2.3

 

Critical Task 16.4: Restrict the movement of spread vectors or hosts using legislative instruments (includes ‘standstill’).

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks
VFA

Enforce provisions under the Fisheries Act 1995 prohibiting bringing into Victoria, possession, transporting or release of declared noxious aquatic species

1.3, 5.4, 16.5
 

Critical Task 16.5: Restrict the movement of hazardous materials or organisms using physical containment methods.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

AMSA

Manager of the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies including management of oil spill response equipment stockpiles, an aerial dispersant capability and a national team of trained responders and emergency managers

16.5

Parks Victoria

Provide trained staff to respond through clean-up and containment of oil and chemical pollution incidents in the local ports of Port Phillip, Western Port and Port Campbell, and state waters under the direction of DoT, in liaison with or as their agents, and the EPA under the Victorian Marine Pollution Contingency Plan

3.2

VFA

Enforce provisions under the Fisheries Act 1995 prohibiting bringing into Victoria, possession, transporting or release of declared noxious aquatic species

1.3, 5.4, 16.4

 

Critical Task 16.6: Destroy the organism and/or susceptible hosts.

No activities identified

 

Critical Task 16.7: Render (disperse / dilute / neutralise) the hazardous material safe.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

Airservices Australia

Subject to its regulatory obligations, Airservices Australia may provide assistance to state agencies in other emergencies that cause or threaten to cause death or injury to persons, damage to property, harm to the environment and disruption to essential services, including initial hazardous materials response on or in the vicinity of designated airports

3.2, 16.1

DJPR

Key support agency for wildlife affected by marine pollution

3.2

Parks Victoria

Provide trained staff and equipment to support response to oiled wildlife, in accordance with the Wildlife Response Plan for Oil Spills under the direction of DELWP or DoT through the Wildlife Response Plan for Marine Pollution Emergencies and/or the Marine Pollution Contingency Plan

3.2

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to rehabilitate, restore and reinstate public land and assets managed directly by PV from the agreed date of transition from emergency response to recovery, including:

  • recovery and rehabilitation of natural values, cultural values, tourism and visitor assets affected by an emergency on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in collaboration with DELWP and DH)
  • clean-up following oil or chemical pollution incidents on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in liaison with DELWP, or their agents, and the EPA)
  • clean-up of fish death incidents (in collaboration with EPA and DELWP)
  • assist with the recovery and rehabilitation of other public land affected by an emergency

16.7, 16.8, 18.1, 18.4, 18.5

 

Critical Task 16.8: Dispose of contaminated waste.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

EPA

Provide technical support in the prevention, mitigation and risk reduction of pollution and waste emergencies by applying and enforcing the Environment Protection Act, including manage systems for the transport of priority waste from generation to disposal

10.4

Parks Victoria

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to rehabilitate, restore and reinstate public land and assets managed directly by PV from the agreed date of transition from emergency response to recovery, including:

  • recovery and rehabilitation of natural values, cultural values, tourism and visitor assets affected by an emergency on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in collaboration with DELWP and DH)
  • clean-up following oil or chemical pollution incidents on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in liaison with DELWP, or their agents, and the EPA)
  • clean-up of fish death incidents (in collaboration with EPA and DELWP)
  • assist with the recovery and rehabilitation of other public land affected by an emergency

16.7, 18.1, 18.4, 18.5

 

Critical Task 16.9: Decontaminate affected people, places and equipment.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

AV

Provide health support to patients undergoing decontamination 14.1, 14.2, 14.4, 14.7