Environmental Asssessments For Federal Funding Project

Upon submitting a funding application for a streetscape upgrade project, Moyne Shire Council was informed that they would need an environmental assessment performed by a suitably qualified consultant in order to progress their application.  

To meet these requirements, Council engaged the Morphum team to undertake a comprehensive desktop assessment of the project’s risks to the local environment.

No two projects are the same, and following the proposed works and methodologies outlined by the council, Morphum’s team identified the possible sources of environmental impact that were unique to this site. A desktop assessment was first undertaken which involved reviewing existing data and reports to identify potential “sources”, “pathway” and “receptors” linkages. Sources of contamination can include a wide range of activities/ materials that may pose risk of harm to human health and the environment, while “pathways” refer to the route’s contaminants may take to reach “receptors”, which are people, flora and fauna and/or environments that could be affected. Beyond the sources, the team investigated pathways, which are the ways that contaminants can travel between locations, and receptors, the final receiving environment, wildlife or people that would be affected by the pollution.  

With the list of environmental, social and sustainability aspects assessed by our team, a final report is prepared that outlines the recommended actions to be incorporated into the planned process for the streetscape upgrade. Recommendations during construction included installing sediment barriers to prevent runoff into the stormwater network which discharges into our waterways and implementing noise reducing construction practices. Other recommendations included …..  

These recommendations not only included actions to mitigate the risks posed by the project but also included several opportunities to enhance the surrounding environment as part of the project.  

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With the environmental assessment complete, the application for funding was successful, allowing the streetscape works to proceed, knowing that the impacts on our environment are being cared for as we improve our infrastructure.

Small changes to the project’s development and design can make a world of difference to our environment and our communities. Acquiring comprehensive environmental assessments as we upgrade our infrastructure can improve our spaces for generations to come.  

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