Welcome to the website of the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia.
The Environmental Protection Authority is being given greater autonomy and management of its own resources by Government.
A key aspect of the changes will be the creation of the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority which will have its own staff, budget, management and administrative capability. This will involve the transfer of staff from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and perhaps other government agencies.
The new Office will have responsibility for parts of the Environmental Protection Act dealing with policy development, environmental impact assessments and compliance monitoring of Ministerial conditions.
DEC will retain responsibility for conservation and environmental regulatory matters such as clearing of native vegetation, natural resource management, pollution, licensing and works approvals.
The new Office is expected to be operational by December 2009.
Environmental Stakeholder Advisory Group Advice – Role and Structure of the EPA
The Minister for Environment has received a report from the Environmental Stakeholder Advisory Group on the role and structure of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), as reflected in recommendation 10.4.3 of a report by the EPA in March 2009 titled “Review of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process in Western Australia”. The Environmental Stakeholder Advisory Group report is now publicly available.
The Environmental Stakeholder Advisory Group was established by the Minister in June 2009 to provide her with advice on specific environmental matters.
Lead Agency Framework Guidance Document
The Premier has announced a new lead agency framework to improve coordination and efficiency of approvals processes across Government. The new lead agency framework will work by determining specific government departments as the first point of call for a project. The relevant department will then help the proponent through the approvals process throughout agencies.
NOTICE Change of terminology for EPA documents released
EPA Reports
EPA reports and recommendations can be found in the first dot point under the heading ‘Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)’ called “EPA Reports”.
Environmental Protection Bulletins
Information intended to provide an avenue for the EPA to make pronouncements or make its position clear on matters of process or policy requiring urgent attention are now known as Environmental Protection Bulletins (EPBs). The EPBs may also be used to establish interim policy while the formal process for policy development is being completed.
EPBs will focus on clear, simple and brief explanations of environmental policy but may also be used to announce proposed changes to administrative procedures or guidelines where there is an urgent need to notify such changes in advance of administrative procedures or guidelines being amended.
These documents as they are prepared and released can be found
under the heading ’Policies” called “Environmental Protection
Bulletins”.
Review of the Environmental Protection (Kwinana) (Atmospheric Wastes) Policy 1999
In accordance with s36(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, the Environmental Protection Authority has deferred the commencement of the review of the Environmental Protection (Kwinana) (Atmospheric Wastes) Policy 1999 as directed by the Minister for the Environment. This direction is in effect until 31 December 2009.
