Instructions, templates and forms

The purpose of these instructions is to ensure proponents provide the necessary information with their request for EPA consent to undertake minor or preliminary work. A form is also provided to assist proponents.

The purpose of these instructions is to provide proponents with relevant information regarding the release of their draft Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) or Environmental Review Document (ERD) for public review during an assessment.

A template for the format and content of an advertisement of a document for public review is attached to these instructions

The purpose of these instructions is to assist proponents to characterise their proposal for an environmental impact assessment under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act). The instructions do not apply to strategic proposals.

The template provided with these instructions provides the structure for defining the General proposal content description and the Proposal content elements for new proposals, for changes to proposals during referral and assessment and for changes to approved proposals.

Examples of Proposal Content Document are contained in the Instructions.

The purpose of these instructions is to assist proponents to prepare an Environmental Scoping Document, which is required where the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has decided that the proponent must undertake an environmental review under section 40(2)(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act).

The EPA requires that proponents use the Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) template included with these instructions for all proponent-prepared ESDs.

Key changes from the previous version incorporates amendments to the Environmental Protection Act 1986. This includes the requirement to publish the indicative timing of the environmental review, removal of duplication with ERD requirements and incorporates the ability of the EPA to take into account other statutory decision-making processes that can mitigate impacts on the environment.

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.

The purpose of these instruction and form is to assist a proponent in transferring responsibility for a proposal to another person.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) (or the EPA Chair or Deputy Chair as delegate) is the decision-maker for transferring responsibility of a proposal during assessment.

The instruction and form outline the information that is required for requests to transfer responsibility of a proposal.