Minister must increase water for environmental use
85AC Minister must increase water for environmental use
The Minister must take all reasonable steps to increase the volume of the Basin water resources that is available for environmental use by 450 gigalitres per year before the end of 31 December 2027.
This obligation does not detract from the Commonwealth’s ability to achieve any surface water recovery targets that it has set for itself.
The Basin Plan refers to the addition of 450 gigalitres per year of environmental water above the 2750 gigalitre benchmark conditions of development (see paragraph 7.09(e) of the Basin Plan).
The Minister can increase the volume of water available for environmental use, for example, by entering into arrangements on behalf of the Commonwealth to purchase water access rights (see section 86AF).
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