Environmental Assessment Review

In 2008 the Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage requested that the Environment Protection Authority:

• investigate the environmental assessment and approval processes outlined in the Northern Territory Environmental Assessment Act for major development proposals; and
• recommend improvements for the government’s consideration.”

The EPA extended the terms of reference of its investigation to also include information on:

• principles, objectives and procedures of environmental assessment;
• best practice environmental assessment examples from other jurisdictions; and
• possibilities for a future NT environmental assessment model.

Discussion Paper

In May 2009 the EPA released a discussion paper (pdf 682Kb) to encourage public debate about environmental impact assessment, and elicit responses to important questions. The discussion paper is entitled ‘Review of the environmental impact assessment procedures of the Northern Territory’.

The discussion paper describes the current legislation and administration of the environmental impact assessment procedures in the Northern Territory. It also highlights key issues and poses questions about how environmental impact assessment could be more efficient, transparent and accountable.

Consultation

During the public consultation period, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) received 21 submissions from organisations and individuals across the Northern Territory. The written submissions compliment the information received by the EPA from:

• meetings with community groups, industry groups and government authorities;
• public meetings in Darwin and Alice Springs; and
• Indigenous consultation undertaken by Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

Community discussions were held in the Northern Territory’s two major centres as well as a number of regional and remote locations as part of the indigenous engagement facilitated by Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

The submissions received by the EPA, other material including transcripts of public meetings and work commissioned to inform the review, are published on this website.

Advice and Recommendations

On 16 April 2010 the EPA provided a copy of its Final Advice (pdf 1164kb) on Improving Environmental Assessment in the Northern Territory to the Environment Minister, and on 28 April 2010 released the report to the public at a discussion forum at Brown’s Mart in Darwin.

An executive summary (pdf 970kb) of the paper is also available, including the recommendations put forward by the EPA.

The EPA now looks forward to a response from the Northern Territory Government.