Work of the Environment Protection Authority
EPA Meetings and Establishment
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) was established in March 2008 and has since held three meetings. These meetings have largely focussed on establishment issues such as setting the protocols for EPA meetings; determining EPA priorities for the next 12 months; and establishing criteria to guide decisions on third party referrals and priority issues for EPA investigation.
Review of the Environmental Assessment Act
The Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage has referred an investigation to the EPA to examine and make recommendations for improving the assessment and approval processes under the Environmental Assessment Act for major development proposals.
The EPA will announce the process for this project shortly. It is envisaged that the investigation will take approximately 12 months to complete and will have a large component of public and stakeholder consultation and engagement.
Setting Sustainability Principles for the Northern Territory
The EPA recently advised the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage of its intention to review and recommend Sustainability Principles for the Northern Territory. The project will identify a small number of core conceptual principles derived primarily from national and State sustainability strategies, but adjusted in emphasis to the Territory’s situation
The aim of this project is to define a set of overarching principles of sustainability relevant for the Northern Territory with the purpose of guiding subsequent legislative/ policy review and development on matters of natural resource management, environment protection and resource development.
The EPA will announce the process and timeframe for this project shortly.
