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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. EPBC Act policy statements

Sidebar first - EN - EPBC

  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
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EPBC Act policy statements

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) policy statements are the Department's public policy documents which provide guidance on the practical application of EPBC Act. The policy statements include:

EPBC Act policies and guidelines - general

  • Compliance Policy - 2019
  • Engage early – guidance for proponents on best practice Indigenous engagement for environmental assessments under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) - 2016
  • EPBC Act Condition-setting policy - 2020
  • EPBC Act environmental offsets policy - 2012
  • EPBC Act assessment and approval process policies - July 2013
  • EPBC Act Policy Statement: Change of person proposing to take an action; Change of proponent; Transfer of approvals: Sections 78(5), 145B and 156F of the EPBC Act - June 2013
  • EPBC Act Policy Statement - Reconsideration: Implementing the requirements of sections 78, 78A, 78B and 78C of the EPBC Act - 2019
  • EPBC Act referral guidelines for the Outstanding Universal Value of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area - May 2014
  • Outcomes-based conditions policy and guidance - 2016
  • Policy statement: Advanced environmental offsets under the EPBC Act - 2016
  • Standards for Accreditation of Environmental Approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - 2014
  • Strategic Assessments: Policy Statement for EPBC Act referrals - March 2013

Significant impact guidelines

The significant impact guidelines provide over arching guidance on determining whether an action is likely to have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance protected by the EPBC Act. These guidelines replace the EPBC Act administrative guidelines on significance (July 2000).

  • 1.1 Significant impact guidelines - matters of national environmental significance - 2013
  • 1.2 Significant impact guidelines - actions on, or impacting upon, Commonwealth land and actions by Commonwealth agencies - 2006
  • 1.3 Significant impact guidelines: coal seam gas and large coal mining developments - Impacts on water resources - 2013

Industry guidelines

Industry guidelines provide specific guidance for industry sectors and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.

  • Interaction between offshore seismic exploration and whales - 2008
  • Offshore aquaculture - 2006
  • Wind farm industry - 2009
  • Agricultural Industry – please refer to Farming fact sheets for guidance on agricultural practices which may need approval under national environmental  law
  • Coal Seam Gas - Joint industry framework - 2021
  • Marine bioregional plans - plans identify conservation values, pressures and priorities in the Commonwealth marine area of four marine regions

Information on listed ecological communities

Nationally threatened ecological communities guidelines provide guidance on specific threatened ecological communities and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.

  • Threatened species and ecological communities publications

Guidelines for EPBC Act listed species

Nationally threatened species guidelines provide guidance on specific threatened species and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.

  • Draft EPBC Act referral guidelines for the vulnerable Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii)
  • Draft referral guideline for 14 birds listed as migratory species under the EPBC Act - 2015
  • EPBC Act Administrative Guidelines on Significance - Supplement for the Grey-headed Flying-fox - 2003
  • EPBC Act Administrative Guidelines on Significance - Supplement for the spectacled flying fox - 2003
  • EPBC Act draft referral guidelines for the nationally listed Brigalow Belt reptiles - draft, May 2011
  • EPBC Act Referral guideline for the endangered northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus 2016
  • EPBC Act referral guidelines for the vulnerable black-eyed susan, Tetratheca juncea - August 2011
  • EPBC Act referral guidelines for the vulnerable koala - 2014
  • EPBC Act referral guidelines for the vulnerable striped legless lizard, Delma impar - August 2011
  • EPBC Act referral guidelines for the vulnerable Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster (Astacopsis gouldi) - draft - 2015
  • 3 WA threatened black cockatoo species - 2022
  • Four threatened Tasmanian burrowing crayfish - draft - July 2011
  • Industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on EPBC Act listed migratory shorebird species - 2015
  • Macquarie perch, Macquaria australasica - draft - July 2011
  • Referral guideline for management actions in Grey-headed and Spectacled flying-fox camps - 2015
  • Referral guideline for the vulnerable water mouse Xeromys myoides - 2015
  • Significant impact guidelines for the critically endangered golden sun moth - 2009
  • Significant impact guidelines for the critically endangered spiny rice-flower (Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens) - 2009
  • Significant impact guidelines for the endangered black-throated finch (southern) (Poephila cincta cincta) - 2009
  • Significant impact guidelines for the endangered southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) Wet Tropics Population - March 2010
  • Significant impact guidelines for the endangered spot-tailed quoll - 2009
  • Significant impact guidelines for the vulnerable green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) - 2010
  • Significant impact guidelines for the vulnerable growling grass frog - 2010
  • Significant impact guidelines for the vulnerable western ringtail possum in the southern Swan Coastal Plain, WA - 2009
  • Southern brown bandicoot (eastern), Isoodon obesulus obesulus - draft - May 2011
  • Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) - 2006
  • Tiger quoll - 2004
  • Wallum sedge frog, Litoria olongburensis - draft - September 2011

Regional guidelines

Policy Statements for regions provide area focused guidance for matters of national environmental significance and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines - maters of national environmental significance.

  • Magnetic Island, Queensland - 2010

Survey Guidelines for Nationally Threatened Species

Survey guidelines provide advice on survey techniques for specific threatened species and give guidance on the Department's expectations with regard to surveys, and should be read in conjunction with the significant impact guidelines.

  • Draft survey guidelines for Australia's threatened orchids - 2014
  • Survey Guidelines for Australia's threatened bats - 2010
  • Survey Guidelines for Australia's threatened birds - 2010
  • Survey Guidelines for Australia's threatened frogs - 2010
  • Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened fish - 2011
  • Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened mammals - 2011
  • Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened reptiles - 2011

Advice in marine bioregional plans

Marine bioregional plans provide advice on the risk of significant impact of certain actions proposed for some Commonwealth marine areas and associated marine species. The plans also provide regional context, identifying conservation values, pressures operating in the region and priorities for conservation and protection. The plans should be read in conjuction with the significant impact guidelines.

  • Marine bioregional plans
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Last updated: 30 June 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.