166Site plans—approval (general)

166 Site plans—approval (general)

(1) For the purposes of section 492(3) of the Act, the Minister must be satisfied that a site plan complies with the requirements in this regulation before the Minister approves the site plan.

(2) The site plan must—

(a) be appropriate for the nature and scale of the injection and storage operations; and

(b) demonstrate—

(i) having regard to available data; and

(ii) as far as practicable on the basis of current technical knowledge—

that the site is safe and secure for the permanent storage of the greenhouse gas substance if the operations in relation to the identified greenhouse gas storage formation are undertaken in accordance with the site plan; and

(c) set out an integrated operations management plan showing clear chains of command where appropriate; and

(d) demonstrate that—

(i) the risks associated with the operations have been identified; and

(ii) new risks or increases in the level of existing risks will be identified as they arise; and

(e) demonstrate that the risks associated with the operations will be eliminated or reduced to as low as reasonably practicable; and

(f) demonstrate that any risk remaining after proposed actions that are designed to remove or eliminate risks will be at an acceptable level; and

(g) include an appropriate strategy for the implementation of the plan; and

(h) include appropriate arrangements for monitoring, recording and reporting the operation of the plan and compliance with it; and

(i) demonstrate that the potential effects on living and non-living resources and other users of the ocean will be as low as practicable, having regard to the existence of any designated agreement mentioned in section 33 of the Act; and

Examples of resources and users are petroleum, groundwater and the fishing industry.

(j) demonstrate that there has been an appropriate level of consultation with authorities, persons and organisations for the purpose of preparing the plan; and

(k) comply with any other requirements set out in this Chapter.

(3) If the Minister is not satisfied that all of the requirements of the Act and this Chapter which must be complied with before the Minister approves a draft site plan have been complied with, the Minister—

(a) must, in writing—

(i) inform the applicant of each matter for which the Minister is not satisfied; and

(ii) give the applicant an opportunity to amend the draft site plan or provide further information; and

(b) is not required to act under regulation 170 until the applicant has provided sufficient information; and