| Environment Recovery Operational Action Plan | ||
| Task Description | Timeframe | Responsible Agency |
| Activate the Environmental Recovery Team:
· Identify a suitable venue for operations and meetings · Establish meeting and reporting structures · Consider additional contacts/support agencies that may be required · Establish situational awareness and provide initial advice regarding potential environmental impacts to all recovery stakeholders |
Immediate | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Conduct risk assessment to affected community | 1 to 3 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Conduct immediate impact/needs assessment:
· Assess impact on air, water, land and soil, plants and animals |
1 to 3 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Establish an impact heat map by mapping the assessments of environmental impacts | 1 to 3 days | Redland City Council |
| What are priority needs for the natural environment?:
· Risks to public health? · Safety? · Water, food? · Containment of contaminants? · Rescue of wildlife? · Emergency erosion stabilisation? · Emergency action for threatened species? · Management of stormwater runoff? · Restoration of habitat? |
1 to 3 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Prioritise the safe return of displaced persons to their homes | 1 to 3 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Undertake actions in accordance with the Redland City Council Public Health Plan. | Immediate | Redland City Council Health & Environment Unit |
| Deploy Vector Control Team and Intensive Care Paramedics to assist with infection | Immediate | Redland City Council, QLD Ambulance Service |
| Clear and dispose of debris and waste | Ongoing | Redland City Council |
| Coordinate the flow of information to the community and manage community enquiries relating to environmental recovery | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Communicate planned actions to affected communities, recovery teams and stakeholder groups | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Undertake an ongoing risk management process with continuous monitoring of impacts to public health | 3 to 7 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Conduct short to medium term ecological impact assessments:
· Assess impact on air, water, land and soil, plants and animals |
3 to 7 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| What are evolving short to medium term needs?:
· Clean-up of contaminants? · Rehabilitation of damaged areas? · Ongoing care and management of endangered species and injured wildlife? · Response operations damage restoration? · Management of ongoing erosion? · Prevention of further contamination—weeds invasion, fungal disease from response/recovery operations? · Restoration of social amenity for community wellbeing? · Recovery of damaged natural resources? · Recovery of business with environmentally relevant activities · Recovery of business that sell food stuffs |
3 to 7 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Restoration of social amenity elements essential for community wellbeing | 3 to 21 days | Redland City Council |
| Clear and dispose of debris and waste | 3 to 21 days | Redland City Council and waste contractors |
| Contain and dispose of hazardous waste, i.e. asbestos | 3 to 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Assess for contamination of stagnant water and vector control | 3 to 21 days | Redland City Council |
| Reduce environmental hazards/risks – ensure integrity of sewerage treatment and water supplies | 3 to 21 days | Redland City Council |
| Provide wildlife rescue services | 3 to 21 days | Wildlife Rescue Groups through Indigiscapes |
| Identify and notify owners of deceased animals and dispose | 3 to 21 days | Redland City Council |
| Monitor and manage public health advice, safety and disease control | Ongoing | Redland City Council |
| Coordinate the flow of information to the community and manage community enquiries relating to environmental recovery | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Communicate planned actions to affected communities, recovery teams and stakeholder groups | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Conduct review of short to medium term actions:
· Are priority needs being met? · Were any missed in immediate and short-term assessment or have new actions emerged? |
Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Conduct long term needs assessment:
· Assess impact on air, water, land and soil, plants and animals · Assess long-term ecological impacts/implications – beach erosion, land regeneration, contamination, catchments, conservation, biodiversity |
Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Identify opportunities to improve the natural environment during reinstatement:
· Are there opportunities to improve/upgrade amenity and/or ecosystems from previously degraded conditions? · Are there opportunities to restore natural environment elements to be sustainable and more resilient to future events? |
Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Support the restoration of eco-tourism infrastructure | Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team and Economic Recovery Team |
| Rehabilitate and recover damaged natural resources | Beyond 21 days | Redland City Council, QLD Parks and Wildlife, other land holders |
| Ongoing care and management of endangered species and injured wildlife | Beyond 21 days | Wildlife Rescue Groups through Indigiscapes |
| Restore social amenity elements essential for community wellbeing | Beyond 21 days | Redland City Council |
| Explore need and opportunities for creating ongoing local environmental support networks | Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Identify opportunities to improve the natural environment during reinstatement – improve/upgrade amenity and/or ecosystems from previously degraded conditions, restore natural environment elements to be sustainable and more resilient to future events | Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Work with affected communities to determine appropriate timing and strategies for transition from recovery to normal services | Beyond 21 days | Environmental Recovery Team |
| Coordinate the flow of information to the community and manage community enquiries relating to environmental recovery | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Coordinator |
| Communicate planned actions to affected communities, recovery teams and stakeholder groups | Ongoing | Environmental Recovery Team |