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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
  4. Advice for applicants and approval holders

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Advice for applicants and approval holders

Learn how to comply with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Topics range from understanding the law and referring an action to us to assess, through to what do you once you hold an approval. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Decisions on referred actions

Environmental Offsets

Pre-referral meeting

Protected Matters Search Tool

Referral applications and proposals

Referral of proposed action

Self-assessments

Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)

Watch the video to learn about the EPBC Act

(BACKGROUND MUSIC)

DESCRIPTION:

We begin on a view of a rural environment with gum trees, hills, green grass, and a small pond surrounded by rock.  A city with a train track in front pops up between the hills in the background, glowing with the setting sun behind it. The train drives by as Tommy the turtle eating grass pops up behind the pond rocks.

NARRATOR:

Australia is developing fast. At least, we humans are.

DESCRIPTION:

Now we are focused in on one part of the grassy environment where Bobby the bandicoot appears. The camera pans out and we see a road, a red truck with building supplies, newly constructed houses, and real-estate developers working. Suzie the swift parrot flies by, taking the camera further to the left with her. She swoops up to reveal the landscape of a pristine regional coastal area as the sun is rising. Then she keeps flying directly into the camera.

NARRATOR:

So, how do we protect our valuable wildlife, environments, and heritage sites that make Australia so amazing?

DESCRIPTION:

The words “Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act” appear within an orange map of Australia.  Three icons relating to legislation and law appear under the words. The words become the acronym “EPBC” while the icons animate subtly. More icons representing protected matters pop up around the map of Australia and lines connect all the icons together.

NARRATOR:

Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, or EPBC Act, is the legal instrument designed to support ecologically sustainable development while looking after protected matters.

DESCRIPTION:

The camera zooms in on Suzie the swift parrot and a friend flying quickly over a canopy of treetops. Trees, the coastline, wetlands, other birds flying, and a heritage cottage all move by underneath them.

NARRATOR:

Our nationally protected matters include remarkable threatened species, land and marine environments, heritage sites, migratory species, and wetlands.

DESCRIPTION:

Now we are in a valley between rolling green hills with three windmills.  Icons for two protected matters, both birds, pop onto the screen.

NARRATOR:

When you are proposing to undertake a new project, it’s important to understand your responsibilities under the EPBC Act.

DESCRIPTION:

Suzie the swift parrot sits in a gum tree, and we are looking over her shoulder at a wireframe of a new subdivision or house estate build of three houses. Around the proposed buildings are wetlands, greenery, and more gum trees. Three housing developers stand near Suzie and one of them points up at her.

NARRATOR:

Your project may have a significant on protected matters and you must meet your responsibilities under the EPBC Act.

DESCRIPTION:

Looking up at Suzie the swift parrot from the housing developers view, we see their clipboards. On the left clipboard is a page titled “Protected Matters” and on the right clipboard are the housing plans.

NARRATOR:

So, how does it work?

DESCRIPTION:

On the development plot, we see wetland, bushland, and trees. Three folders appear that say, “Self Assessment”, “Referral”, and “Environmental Assessment” as a housing developer stands to the bottom right with a clipboard taking notes.

NARRATOR:

There are several stages under the EPBC Act to work through when planning a project.

DESCRIPTION:

A new developer stands in tall grass next to a proposed building site. In front of them is a sign that has two houses and the words “Coming Soon” on it.  The developer takes notes on a clipboard while three icons representing potential protected matters pop up in front of them.

NARRATOR:

The first is self-assessment. To determine if your project needs to be referred, you may need to undertake a self-assessment.

DESCRIPTION:

Inside the developer’s site office, the developer sits at their computer.  To the left are tools, safety equipment, and a map of the proposed building area.  Behind the developer is a window showing the gorgeous scenery. Bobby the bandicoot’s curious baby pops into view in the window.

NARRATOR:

Start your research and planning as soon as possible. This can help prevent duplication, delays, and potentially lower your costs.

DESCRIPTION:

Zoomed into the developer’s laptop screen, we see a simplified version of the EPBC website.  The website title “Free tools for Self-Assessment” is connected to three icons labeled “PMST”, “SPRAT”, and “Significant Impact Guidelines”.

NARRATOR:

There are many resources available to help you.

DESCRIPTION:

The mouse clicks on the “PMST” icon, and the icon moves center of frame while the others fade away.  Around the icon appear four more icons representing protected matters.

NARRATOR:

The Protected Matters Search Tool, or PMST…

DESCRIPTION:

All the icons are swept away as the laptop screen comes back into view. We see a map of the area while a mouse clicks four spots to create the proposed area for the new build.

NARRATOR:

…assists with discovering protected matters in and around your project area.

DESCRIPTION:

The screen is split horizontally in two to show the wind farm developer on their proposed land on top and a housing developer in their office on the bottom. The wind farm developer is making a call and the housing developer is emailing on their laptop. Each section is split in half again to show each developer communicating with a friendly government worker.

NARRATOR:

And if there’s uncertainty about whether your project needs to be referred, you can request a free pre-referral meeting with one of our friendly team members.

DESCRIPTION:

Now we are focused on the wind farm developer who is standing on their proposed building site. Wireframe windmills appear around them as they look at a clipboard. The camera zooms in to the clipboard over the wind farm developer’s shoulder.  On the paper is “Project Proposal” with three items with question marks on them: Identify what I need to refer, uncover and address issues early, and collate all relevant information.

NARRATOR:

The pre-referral meeting will help you understand how you can plan early and what information is required.

DESCRIPTION:

A simplified version of the online services business portal floats in the air above a natural environment filled with reeds, wetlands, herons, and greenery.

NARRATOR:

If you need to refer, the next stage is to submit a referral via the online EPBC Act Business Portal.

DESCRIPTION:

We now see over the shoulder of a person from the public using a laptop browsing a simplified version of the EPBC Act public portal page.

NARRATOR:

All referrals are published on the EPBC Act Public Portal.

DESCRIPTION:

Icons appear on top of the scenery of green wetlands and gum trees. A folder icon in the middle is titled “Project Proposal” with speech bubble icons surrounding it. These speech bubbles represent comments from authorities, communities, and businesses.

NARRATOR:

The public can provide comments on your proposal during certain stages of the EPBC Act process.

DESCRIPTION:

Back at the laptop on the EPBC Act Business Portal webpage, a folder icon labelled “Referral” appears next to it. An arrow points upwards toward a new folder with a dotted outline titled “Environmental Assessment”.

NARRATOR:

We will review your referral and decide if an environmental assessment is required.

DESCRIPTION:

The laptop is swept away so we can focus on the “Assessment” folder.  Three icons with people inside appear to the left, top, and right of the folder. The left person says, “We need some more details about your proposal”, the top person says, “Have you considered your impacts on X?”, and the right person says, “How did you conduct your surveys?”.

NARRATOR:

To undertake an assessment, we might need to request more information from you.

DESCRIPTION:

The three people’s icons move in a row to the top of the screen.  Two new labels connect from the “Assessment” folder. One says, “Not Approved” and the other says, “Approved”. Suzie the swift parrot flies in from left to right to land on “Approved”.

NARRATOR:

We will work closely with you throughout this process and then advise you of our decision.

DESCRIPTION:

The camera zooms in on Suzie the swift parrot on the “Approved” label.  Next to her, three more labels appear: Provide management plans, Provide reports, and Pre-commencement requirements. These labels get marked done.

NARRATOR:

An approval may include conditions which you must comply with.

DESCRIPTION:

Finally, we are at a view of gorgeous new homes surrounded by wetlands, gum trees, reeds and other greenery. A housing developer stands with a family of two adults and two children. The camera zooms out further to show more of the natural environment, a fence, Tommy the turtle, Bobby the bandicoot and baby, and Suzie the swift parrot.

NARRATOR:

With an EPBC Act approval in hand, your project can get underway knowing that our precious wildlife, environment, and heritage places can continue to thrive.

DESCRIPTION:

The Australian Government logo is centre frame with the words “For more information, go to: dcceew.gov.au” underneath.

NARRATOR:

For more information about the EPBC Act, go to the website.

Find out what’s protected under the EPBC Act

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Last updated: 29 September 2023

© 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 and present.