These instructions are provided to assist proponents to prepare Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) submitted under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. EMPs may be provided at referral, during an assessment by the EPA, or required as an implementation condition under a Ministerial statement. The term ‘Environmental Management Plan’ is used generically to refer to documents that set out the above information. Documents may be referred to in various ways, e.g. ‘Fauna Management Plan’ or ‘Groundwater Monitoring and Management and Plan’ or ‘Greenhouse Gas Management Plan’.
Some of the EPA’s environmental factors have additional guidance on the development of EMPs. Refer to the relevant technical guidance in the EPA’s Framework for environmental considerations in EIA.
This guidance does not cover the preparation of mine closure plans. Refer to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s (DMIRS) Statutory Guideline for Mine Closure Plans and Mine Closure Plan Guidance - how to prepare in accordance with the Statutory Guidelines when preparing mine closure plans. These documents are available on the DMIRS website.
This revised version contains greater emphasis on outcomes and it should be noted that the EPA’s preference is for outcomes-based conditions where practical. When there is an outcomes-based condition, the EPA may recommend an outcomes based environmental management plan (for monitoring). While the EPA’s preference is for outcomes-based conditions, the EPA may recommend objectives-based management plan conditions, where this is not practical or appropriate.
These instructions set out the minimum requirements that the EPA needs to assess and/or approve the plan. Templates and examples are provided with the instructions to assist proponents and facilitate an efficient environmental impact assessment process.
As part of the review of the EPA’s Environmental Factor Guideline- Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2023) a template Greenhouse Gas Environmental Management Plan has been developed to support transparency and consistency of these EMPs.
A Greenhouse Gas Environmental Management Plan summary report template has also been developed based on the requirements of current greenhouse gas Ministerial conditions.
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