A new Department of Environment, Water and Catchment Protection will take over the role of monitoring the activities of private sector organisations and individuals affecting the environment as a result of the reorganization of the Western Australian government sector announced last month by Premier Geoff Gallop.The new department will be an amalgamation of the existing Department of Environmental Protection with the Water and Rivers Commission.The government says the new agency will combine the existing environmental protection powers of the DEP with the water resources assessment and allocation role of the WRC. While it will take several months to finalise the new business arrangements and bring in the necessary legislation, the DEP says it will be working a lot more closely with the WRC in the interim.
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