Excellence in the Environment Awards

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Rachael Young and Bernard Proctor at the LGSA AwardsCentroc’s Sustainability Programs Manager, Rachael Young was awarded the inaugural Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability, at the Local Government and Shires Association Excellence in the Environment Awards in Sydney.


This is a highly prestigious award for individual achievement up to and including 2009-2010 in recognition of their contribution to the cause of environmental improvement and sustainability. Louise Petchell was the highly respected Sustainability Unit Manger from Penrith City Council who worked tirelessly to ensure that Penrith and its community moved towards a sustainable future. Louise was a quietly spoken but determined advocate of sustainability and received awards in recognition of her efforts. Louise died unexpectedly and tragically last year. This award is sponsored by the LGSA.

The Award was presented to Rachael yesterday by Louise’s husband Bernard Proctor who also sat on the Award’s assessment committee. When presenting the award yesterday it was announced that Rachael “… provides the ‘glue’ that binds all of the sustainability teams together. She binds them with her knowledge, support and sense of quiet purpose. Rachael manages to find some positive in all the organisations involved. As Louise Patchell would say ‘you always look for some positive no matter how small and build on that’.”

“I am very honoured and proud to be the first recipient of this Award. I was lucky enough to have met Louise a couple of times through my work with Centroc and Louise was always generous with her time and expertise. To be considered in the same league as Louise is very humbling” said Rachael Young, Sustainability Programs Manager.

Given that Centroc represents 17 Councils achieving and maintaining our vision to be the most sustainable region in Australia, is certainly a challenging task. Rachael for the past three years has attacked those challenges head on.

Highly Commended at LGSA AwardsRachael has developed an excellent rapport key stakeholders in Centroc Councils. She has and the respect of the Mayors and General Managers across the region and has worked extremely hard to support the Sustainability Officers and their teams. This award is also a real pat on the back for the team working with Rachael as the only way to achieve success at this level is by all Councils putting their shoulders to the wheel.

Centroc was also successful in being awarded a highly commended award for The Shiny Halo blog in the Energy Saving and Climate Change Adaptation Mitigation category.  The blog has been incredibly successful in engaging the community and generating actions towards resilience and sustainability in NSW.

Centroc's sustainabiltiy projects are funded through the NSW Environmental Trust.

 

Live Issues

Bells Line

The Centroc Board is pleased to be included as a member of the steering committee of the Bells Line of Expressway Long Term Corridor Plan. Consultation on the Plan has been completed as of the end of January 2011.

Members have consistently called for an Expressway standard connection between Sydney and the west.

The Bells Line of Road and Great Western Highway are two of the most dangerous roads in Australia. Members want safe, fast access between Central NSW and Sydney.

Members have also been concerned with the studies undertaken to date, in that the studies do not recognise the growth that would happen as a result of the Bells Line of Expressway; the studies instead make decisions based on the constrained transport options currently available.

Members also contend that the topography of the Blue Mountains is special ensuring that the Great Western Highway will always need to be a local road. Therefore there will always be congestion issues that impact our industry particularly our tourism industry, the third largest industry in Central NSW -and growing.

Members seek to have the corridor preserved in the first instance particularly the section between the M7 and Kurrajong.

At the meeting of the Board in February 2011 members are seeking advice back from candidates in the region on their policy particuarly on securing the corridor.

The Board is encouraging State and Federal representatives to

a.    commit to the next steps in securing the corridor, that is

        i.    the establishment of route options

        ii.    selection of preferred route

        iii.    reservation of preserved route option on LEPs and

        iv.    environmental assessment and concept design

b.    provide advice on time frames where the establishment of route options should occur immediately after the completion of the Long Term Strategic Corridor Plan

c.    have commentary in LEPs along the route addressing the need for a future corridor

The Federal Government has $3.5m committed to transport studies for the region and it is anticipated that some of these monies will go the next stages of strategic work to deliver the road.

The Bells Line of Expressway Group are requesting the region get behind an email campaign to help make the expressway a reality sooner rather than later. It is easy and fun to do. Click here.

 

 

Upcoming Training Events

Tue May 22 @08:30 - 04:30PM
Confined Spaces with Breathing Apparatus - Forbes
Thu May 24
Consultative Committee - Lachlan
Fri Jun 15
Construction Induction - Orange

Events Calendar

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Atmospheric CO2 data

 

Did you know that atmospheric CO2 was 364 parts per million (ppm) during the Earth Summit in June 1992? In the past decade, atmospheric CO2 has been rising about 1.9 ppm per year. This is the fastest rate since scientists started using high-precision instruments to take CO2 measurements directly from the Earth's atmosphere.

To find out what Centroc is doing about Climate Change, click here.