Providing opportunities for public participation is an integral part of environmental impact assessment in Western Australia. The EPA publishes all documents open for public comment on its consultation hub at https://consultation.epa.wa.gov.au. You can also sign up to the mailing list to receive notifications any time a new item is open.
As part of the assessment process, it is important for the EPA to have all relevant information relating to potential impacts on the environment.
Comment on referral
You have the opportunity to comment on referred proposals at the beginning of the process. Your input will help the EPA decide whether or not to assess the proposal, and if so, what level of assessment should apply.
Public Environmental Review
If the EPA decides the proposal warrants formal assessment, you may also have the opportunity to make a submission as part of a Public Environmental Review. You may have useful information that is not known to others, especially if you live or work in the area of proposed development.
By telling the EPA your opinion, contributing knowledge and making suggestions, you will help us to make better recommendations to the Minister for Environment. The Minister can then use this information to decide whether the project will go ahead and under what conditions.
Don’t think that you are only one voice and you won’t make a difference. Just one well-reasoned submission that raises a valid concern or offers a constructive suggestion can be very helpful and important.
Printer-friendly version