Protection of the Environment Operations (Hunter River Salinity Trading Scheme) Regulation 2002.

This Regulation, consisting of 90 sections divided into ten Parts and completed by two Schedules, concerns the management of discharges of saline water into the Hunter River catchment and provides for the establishment of a tradeable emission scheme. The objects of the scheme are to minimise the impact of saline discharges on irrigation, other water uses and on aquatic ecosystems in the Hunter River catchment, and to facilitate sustainable water management by industry in the Hunter River catchment.
According to the scheme, a person who holds a relevant environment protection licence will be permitted to discharge saline water only in accordance with the scheme. Discharges are permitted under the scheme only during periods in which the Hunter River is classified as being in flood flow or high flow. During flood flow periods, the licence holder may discharge unlimited amounts of saline water, subject to the salinity targets and any overriding limit that may be applied by the EPA as a condition of the licence held by the discharger. During high flow periods, the licence holder will be entitled to discharge saline water only if the licence holder holds one or more credits in the scheme. The total allowable discharge for the Hunter River catchment is determined on a day-to-day basis, by reference to the salinity targets for the Hunter River catchment. The targets are set out in the Regulation. The more credits the licence holder holds, the more saline water the licence holder is entitled to discharge.
The Regulation is divided in the following Parts: Preliminary; General workings of scheme; Discharge rules; Credits in scheme; Trading in credits; Administration of scheme; Cost recovery; Enforcement; Miscellaneous and Savings and transitional provisions.