❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the EPA's environmental impact assessment practices, specifically the declining rate of project assessments and the factors influencing assessment decisions. The response clarifies assessment rates over time and denies influence from budgetary constraints or government demands.
AnsweredQoN 5789Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the 2012-13 Budget Statements that lists Environmental Impact Assessments as the highest cost function of the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Over the last financial year the EPA has only elected to assess 15 of 77 (19 per cent) of projects referred to it at a time when there appears to have been a historically high number of large scale projects, and I ask —
(1) How does this assessment rate compare with the last two years and the period before the Government's approvals reform agenda?
(2) Does the 'environmental significance test' applied by the EPA when determining whether to assess projects now include —
(a) the EPA's budgetary capacity to assess projects;
(b) assumptions about the capacity of other agencies (i.e. the decision making authorities) to manage assessments and environmental impact, and if so what were these assumptions;
(c) considerations of government demands to speed-up approvals; and
(d) economic decisions about the proponent's timing for an investment decision?
(1) How does this assessment rate compare with the last two years and the period before the Government's approvals reform agenda?
(2) Does the 'environmental significance test' applied by the EPA when determining whether to assess projects now include —
(a) the EPA's budgetary capacity to assess projects;
(b) assumptions about the capacity of other agencies (i.e. the decision making authorities) to manage assessments and environmental impact, and if so what were these assumptions;
(c) considerations of government demands to speed-up approvals; and
(d) economic decisions about the proponent's timing for an investment decision?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 September 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
35 days
(1) In the 2011-12 financial year the Environmental Protection Authority considered 92 referrals under Section 38 of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
and decided to formally assess 17 proposals (18.5%). In the 2010-2011 and 2009-2010 financial years, the Environmental Protection Authority decided to formally assess 38.5% and 40.2% respectively. The Environmental Protection Authority is an independent statutory Authority and makes its decisions on whether to assess projects, independent of the Government's approvals reforms initiative.
(2a) No
(b) Yes. Under the Environmental Impact Assessment Administrative Procedures 2010, the Environmental Protection Authority may have regard to the extent to which other statutory decision-making processes meet the Environmental Protection Authority's objectives and principles for Environmental Impact Assessment.
(c) No
(d) No
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Environmental Protection Act 1986
and decided to formally assess 17 proposals (18.5%). In the 2010-2011 and 2009-2010 financial years, the Environmental Protection Authority decided to formally assess 38.5% and 40.2% respectively. The Environmental Protection Authority is an independent statutory Authority and makes its decisions on whether to assess projects, independent of the Government's approvals reforms initiative.
(2a) No
(b) Yes. Under the Environmental Impact Assessment Administrative Procedures 2010, the Environmental Protection Authority may have regard to the extent to which other statutory decision-making processes meet the Environmental Protection Authority's objectives and principles for Environmental Impact Assessment.
(c) No
(d) No
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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