| Guidance Statements |
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| Guidance Statements are issued by the EPA to assist proponents, and the public generally, to understand the minimum requirements, for protection of elements of the environment that the EPA expects to be met during the assessment process. Proponents are encouraged to do better than the minimum. Proponents who are able to demonstrate that they will meet or exceed the minimum requirements are likely to find that their assessment will be more straight forward and take less time. A proponent who wishes to deviate from the minimum level of performance in a Guidance Statement would be expected to put a well-researched and clear justification to the EPA arguing the need for the deviation. EPA policy and guidance contained in Guidance Statements remains current until superseded or otherwise advised. Note:
When a Guidance Statement is withdrawn (for whatever reason) to save confusion the number given to that Statement is no longer used as there may be hard copies of the Guidance Statement still in circulation. Therefore, it is advisable to check any hard copies of Guidance Statements against the list below to ensure they are still current. If their number does not appear they have been withdrawn. |
Index For Guidance Statements for the Assessment of Environmental Factors |
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| 1 |
Guidance Statement for Protection of Tropical Arid Zone Mangroves Along the Pilbara Coastline
Summary: The EPA recognises the intrinsic value of these tropical arid zone mangroves and the need to protect distribution and function along the Pilbara coastline. The EPA has prepared this Guidance Statement in response to the need to protect mangroves from the potential impacts associated with further industrial or other development of the region.
Status: Final
Release Date: 23 April 2001
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| 2 |
Guidance for Risk Assessment and Management: Off-site individual risk from Hazardous Industrial Plan
Summary: The EPA has set the off-site individual risk criteria for fatalities from hazardous industrial plant at the following levels: (a) A risk level in residential areas of one in a million per year or less, is so small as to be acceptable to the EPA. (b) A risk level in 'sensitive developments', such as hospitals, schools, child care facilities and aged care housing developments, of one half in a million per year or less is so small as to be acceptable to the EPA. In the case of risk generators within the grounds of the 'sensitive development' necessary for the amenity of the residents, the risk level can exceed the risk level of one half in a million per year up to a maximum of one in a million per year, for areas that are intermittently occupied, such as garden areas and car parks. (c) Risk levels from industrial facilities should not exceed a target of fifty in a million per year at the site boundary for each individual industry, and the cumulative risk level imposed upon an industry should not exceed a target of one hundred in a million per year. (d) A risk level for any non-industrial activity or active open spaces located in buffer areas between industrial facilities and residential areas of ten in a million per year or less, is so small as to be acceptable to the EPA. (e) A risk level for commercial developments,including offices, retail centres, showrooms, restaurants and entertainment centres, located in buffer areas between industrial facilities and residential areas,of five in a million per year or less, is so small as to be acceptable to the EPA.
Status: Final
Release Date: 28 July 2000
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| 3 |
Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses
Summary: This document provides advice on the use of generic separation distances (buffers) between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflicts between incompatible land uses.
Status: Final
Release Date: 27 June 2005
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| 4 |
Deep and Shallow Well Injection of Liquid Industrial Waste
Summary: The purpose of this guidance is to prevent contamination of groundwater and associated consequences from either deep or shallow well injection practices throughout Western Australia. It provides information which the EPA will consider when assessing proposals where deep or shallow well injection of liquid industrial waste is a relevant environmental factor.
Status: Final
Release Date: 17 March 2003
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| 6 |
Rehabilitation of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Summary: This guidance: (a) applies to terrestrial habitats and wetlands, excluding aquatic ecosystems such as lakes, estuaries and marine habitats; (b) concerns land clearing where natural ecosystems will be reinstated; (c) focuses on effective use of completion criteria to measure biodiversity in rehabilitation projects; and (d) addresses general principles only. Additional consultation is required for project specific advice.
Status: Final
Release Date: 26 June 2006
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| 7 |
Protection of the Western Swamp Tortoise Habitat, Upper Swan/Bullsbrook
Summary: The Western Swamp Tortoise is the one of the most endangered tortoises on earth and one of Australia's most endangered species. The EPA therefore emphasises through this guidance statement and the existing Environmental Protection (Western Swamp Tortoise Habitat) Policy 2002 that protection of the Western Swamp Tortoise and its habitat are critical. The small remnant population of Western Swamp Tortoise (110 individuals in 2001) in this policy area is hanging on precariously to existence.
Status: Final
Release Date: 26 June 2006
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| 10 |
Level of assessment for proposals affecting natural areas within the System 6 region and Swan Coastal Plain portion of the System 1 Region
Summary: This Guidance outlines the EPA's approach to environmental assessment of proposals involving the clearing of natural areas within the System 6 region and Swan Coastal Plain portion of the System 1 region. The EPA places great importance on protecting natural areas and expects that proponents will conduct a thorough appraisal of all development options and site selection options that would avoid direct or indirect impacts on natural areas in the first instance, prior to presenting a proposal for Environmental Impact Assessment.
Status: Final
Release Date: 6 June 2006
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| 12 |
Guidance Statement for Minimising Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically addresses the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions from significant new or expanding operations. At the time of writing this Guidance Statement the State Government was developing a State Greenhouse Strategy which will set the wider policy context for greenhouse gas management. This Guidance Statement will be reviewed when new Government policy is announced.
Status: Final
Release Date: 14 October 2002
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| 13 |
Management of Air Emissions from Biomedical Waste Incinerators
Summary: Guidance is provided in this document for: (a) minimum standards for incineration design and operation; (b) incineration emission and monitoring requirements; and (c) flyash and incinerator residue disposal.
Status: Final
Release Date: 17 March 2000
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| 15 |
Guidance Statement for Emissions of Oxides of Nitrogen from Gas Turbines
Summary: The Guidance and management criteria presented in section 3 of the document will be used by the EPA to assess proposals for gas turbine installations with specific regard to emissions of oxides of nitrogen to the atmosphere within the State.
Status: Final
Release Date: 19 May 2000
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| 17 |
Guidance Statement for Remediation Hierarchy for Contaminated Land
Summary: This Guidance Statement supersedes the 'EPA Policy for EIA No. 17 - A Site Remediation Hierarchy for Contaminated Sites' (Interim Policy) which was released in 1997 for a period of 12 months. The intent of that policy was to put in place a hierarchy of remediation and treatment options that the EPA considered were relevant in relation to the assessment and management of contaminated sites and which proponents and consultants needed to address when submitting proposals for environmental impact assessment.
Status: Final
Release Date: 28 July 2000
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| 18 |
Prevention of air quality impacts from land development sites
Summary: This document provides guidance on the control of dust and smoke form land development sites. The guidance and its application, presented in sections 3 and 4 of the document respectively, will be used by the EPA to prevent air quality impacts due to dust and smoke from land development sites.
Status: Final
Release Date: 31 March 2000
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| 19 |
Environmental Offsets - Biodiversity
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically addresses environmental offsets for proposals or schemes that impact on biodiversity. It should be read in conjunction with Position Statement No. 9 Environmental Offsets (EPA, 2006). The main purpose of this Guidance Statement is to provide more specific advice than in the Position Statement, particularly in relation to the technical application of biodiversity offsets and the presentation of offsets packages to the EPA.
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Status: Final
Release Date: 8 September 2008
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| 20 |
Sampling of Short Range Endemic Invertebrate Fauna for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically addresses the general standards and a common framework including risk-based assessment for the sampling and assessment of SRE invertebrate fauna for EIA in Western Australia. It also sets out the EPA's current expectations in respect of the quality and quantity of information derived from these surveys, and the consequent analysis, interpretation and reporting. The Guidance recognises and discusses limitations on current knowledge in respect to this fauna, and how this may affect the EPA's consideration of development proposals.
Status: Final
Release Date: 25 May 2009
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| 28 |
Protection of the Lake Clifton Catchment
Summary: The guidance and management criteria presented in sections 4 and 5 of the document will be used by the EPA in considering any proposal within the Lake Clifton catchment. Where proposals meet the guidance and criteria it is unlikely that they will require formal assessment by the EPA.
Status: Final
Release Date: 1 May 1998
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| 29 |
Benthic Primary Producer Habitat Protection for Western Australia's Marine Environment
Summary: In this Guidance Statement, the EPA has provided a set of principles to be applied by proponents and the EPA when considering development proposals that may result in removal or destruction of, or damage to, marine benthic primary producer communities or the habitats which support them.
Status: Final
Release Date: 8 June 2004
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| 33 |
Guidance Statement 33 - Environmental Guidance for Planning and Development
Summary: The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released Guidance Statement No. 33 Environmental Guidance for Planning and Development. A draft of the guidance statement was released in 2005 for public comment. This final document incorporates comments from the public and necessary changes resulting from the creation of the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Water.
Status: Final
Release Date: 26 May 2008
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| 34 |
Linkage between EPA Assessment and management strategies, policies, scientific criteria, guidelines, standards and measures adopted by National Councils
Summary: This document offers guidance with regards to the linkage between EPA assessment and management strategies, policies, scientific criteria, guidelines, standards and measures adopted by National Councils. The document also provides some background on the subject, guidance in relation to assessment and concludes with some administrative matters.
Status: Final
Release Date: 1 April 1998
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| 40 |
Guidance Statement for Management of Mosquitoes by Land Developers
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically addresses the management of mosquitoes. The Guidance provides information which the EPA will consider when assessing proposals where mosquito management is a relevant environmental factor in an assessment.
Status: Final
Release Date: 30 June 2000
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| 41 |
Assessment of Aboriginal Heritage
Summary: This Guidance considers 'Aboriginal heritage' as a relevant environmental factor in circumstances where they are linked directly to physical and biological attributes of the environment, and when the protection and management of those attributes are threatened as a result of a proposed development.
Status: Final
Release Date: 19 April 2004
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| 47 |
Interim Guidance on odour as a relevant environmental factor
Summary: Guidance Statement No.47 – Assessment of Odour Impacts from New Proposals has been removed and is currently being revised during 2005/06. This Interim Guidance is to be followed while an updated Guidance Statement is in preparation.
Status: Interim
Release Date: 27 July 2005
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| 48 |
Groundwater Environmental Management Areas
Summary: The document offers guidelines with regard to the protection of groundwater dependent ecosystems containing important wetlands.
Status: Draft
Release Date: 2 February 1998
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| 49 |
Guidance Statement for Assessment of Development Proposals in Shark Bay World Heritage Property
Summary: This Guidance Statement deals with environmental impact assessment of development proposals within and adjacent to the Shark Bay World Heritage Property.
Status: Final
Release Date: 20 November 2000
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| 51 |
Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia
Summary: The primary purpose of this Statement is to provide guidance and information on expected standards and protocols for terrestrial flora and vegetation surveys to environmental consultants and proponents. This Guidance should be used when preparing documentation for referral of proposals, planning schemes and their amendments to the EPA, as well as for formal assessment and audit.
Status: Final
Release Date: 21 June 2004
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| 54 |
54a - Sampling methods and survey considerations for subterranean fauna in Western Australia
Summary: This document outlines the EPA's position in relation to what are acceptable sampling
efforts and methodologies for subterranean fauna. A framework is provided for determining whether an area is likely to have significant subterranean faunal values.
This Guidance Statement has the status "Draft" which means that it has been endorsed by the EPA for release for stakeholder and public review use and comment for 12 months.
Status: Final
Release Date: 27 July 2007
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| 54 |
Consideration of Subterranean Fauna in Groundwater and Caves during Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically addresses the conservation of stygofauna in
groundwater systems and troglofauna and stygofauna in subterranean caves. This
document provides guidance on the information that the EPA will consider when
assessing proposals where the protection of stygofauna or troglofauna is a relevant
environmental factor.
Status: Final
Release Date: 1 December 2003
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| 55 |
Implementing Best Practice in Proposals Submitted to the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
Summary: This Guidance Statement specifically outlines the EPA's position on what it means by ‘best practice’ in the context of EIA. It aims to provide to proponents, stakeholders and other participants in the EIA process, including the community, an indication of the EPA’s position on the use of best practice to protect the environment, and the approach which the EPA will take when assessing best practice implementation in proposals. While best practice is particularly relevant to industrial process design, and especially the avoidance or minimisation of waste discharges, the principle can also be applied more widely to encompass project site selection, project configuration and technology or procedures for the protection of the environment.
Status: Final
Release Date: 22 December 2003
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| 56 |
Terrestrial Fauna Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia
Summary: The primary purpose of this Guidance Statement is to provide direction and
information on general standards and protocols for terrestrial fauna surveys to
environmental consultants and proponents engaged in EIA activities. The generic
process for the writing of Guidance Statements is set out in Appendix 1.
Status: Final
Release Date: 28 June 2004
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