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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  3. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

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Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places — defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance. Learn more about the EPBC Act

Online Services is now closed for EPBC Act referrals, you will be redirected to the EPBC Act Business Portal (Business Portal) to create a portal account and submit new referrals. You can also visit the Business Portal to view the status of your existing assessments and approvals, contact the department, or request a change to the details of your project.

Referrals submitted via Online Services before 29 March 2022 will be concluded using the existing system with public comments made via the EPBC Act Public Notices and Have Your Say pages. If the referral progresses to an assessment, this will be undertaken in the new Business Portal.

Public comments for projects submitted in the new EPBC Act Business Portal are made through the new EPBC Act Public Portal which replaces the EPBC Act Public Notices and Have Your Say.

Note: Online Services remains active to accept payments and conduct non-EPBC related actions related to the department.

News and Media

Sentence for reptile smuggler

  • Media release
  • Compliance
30 July 2021

A 37-year-old Victorian man has been handed a jail sentence for the attempted illegal export of…

Hefty jail sentence for illegal export of reptiles

  • Media release
  • Compliance
24 May 2021

A 35-year-old Sydney man has been handed a lengthy jail sentence for the attempted illegal export…

Man sentenced for illegally possessing wildlife

  • Media release
  • Compliance
19 April 2021

A house at Greystanes in Sydney’s west was assessed to be an extreme biosecurity risk and had to be…

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Picture from EPBC video

Watch our video about the EPBC Act

Referrals and public notices

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EPBC Act Business Portal

Submit referrals and manage your existing assessments and approvals online.

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Last updated: 04 August 2022

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.