An Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) is required when the EPA decides an ESD is the most appropriate way to prescribe the additional information required for an assessment. While an ESD will usually be prepared by the EPA, in some limited circumstances an ESD will be prepared by the proponent. The purpose of this document is to instruct proponents in how to provide the necessary information to prepare an Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) if they are requested to do so under section 40(2)(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act).
The EPA requires that proponents use the template included with these instructions for all proponent-prepared ESDs.
This version of the instructions and template have been updated to reflect the EPA's new Environmental Impact Assessment Practice Guide Assessment of Proposals in Western Australia under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EIA Practice Guide), which comes into effect on 1 January 2026.
Key changes from the previous version is the removal of duplication with Environmental Review Document requirements, and to reflect that the EPA will usually prepare an ESD in most circumstances.
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