Environment and heritage
Roads and Maritime Services is committed to undertaking its activities in an environmentally responsible manner and effectively managing any risks that may lead to an impact on the environment.
Roads and Maritime will do all that is reasonably practical to ensure that there is continuous improvement in environmental performance, including ongoing communication and awareness raising, active reporting of environmental incidents and continuous learning from experience.
Our environment policy
The Roads and Maritime environment policy sets out our commitment as a major development agency to the environment. All Roads and Maritime staff have a responsibility to actively contribute towards avoiding or minimising environmental impacts in their day to day work.
All Roads and Maritime projects have an environmental component, sometimes as significant and complex as the construction task itself. Development approvals are issued only when a project has been approved under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. This means that Roads and Maritime has examined all of the potential environmental impacts and identified how these can be avoided, minimised or offset against other benefits.
Find out more about our project planning principles.
Roads and Maritime environment staff work across a range of disciplines and technical areas to minimise environmental impacts. Find out more below.
In this section...
Natural disasters and emergencies
Information about our free replacement products and services for those affected by a natural disaster or emergency.
Reducing noise
Information about the management of road traffic noise and the Noise Abatement Program.
Soil and water quality
About the management of soil and water quality during road construction and in the operation of the NSW road network.
Biodiversity
How we work in partnership with others minimise the impact of its activities to biodiversity through sound evidence-based policy and guidance.
Sustainability
Information about energy and greenhouse, our sustainability strategy, waste and resource management and vessel biofuels.
Heritage
Information about how we protect heritage properties, infrastructure and assets, browse the heritage register or find out about self-guided tours and our photographic and audio archives.
Planning and assessment
All projects regardless of size are assessed to determine whether they have any environmental impact. Find out about the planning and assessment process.
Environmental compliance
Information about our compliance operations, Environment Protection Licences, vessel noise, oil and chemical spill response, waste disposal and weed management and pesticide use plans.
Air quality
Information about our cleaner air initiatives and ways to improve vehicle and fuel standards, reduce vehicle emissions and to promote greener transport alternatives.