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Environmental impact statement process
If a ‘significant project’ has the potential to cause environmental, social or economic impacts, the project proponent must prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS).
The EIS is prepared in accordance with the terms of reference for the EIS.
Outline of EIS
The EIS describes the:
- current environment
- project’s environmental impacts
- ways of avoiding, mitigating or offsetting these impacts.
The impacts include direct, indirect and cumulative impacts resulting from the construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the project.
What is 'the environment'?
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the environment is defined as:
- ecosystems and their constituent parts, including people and communities
- all natural and physical resources
- the qualities and characteristics of locations, places and areas, however large or small, that contribute to their biological diversity and integrity, intrinsic or attributed scientific value or interest, amenity, harmony and sense of community
- the social, economic, aesthetic and cultural conditions that affect, or are affected by, the things mentioned above.
Steps in EIS process
The EIS process for significant projects involves several distinct steps:
- Application (including initial advice statement)
- 'Significant project' declaration
- Referral to Australian Government
- Terms of reference
- Environmental impact statement (EIS)
- Evaluation of EIS, including:
- Supplementary EIS (if required)
- Coordinator-General's report on EIS
Other approvals
- Australian Government approval (if required)
- Development approvals
Role of advisory agencies
The Office of the Coordinator-General coordinates the state government's evaluation of the project proponent's EIS.
A wide range of state government departments (known as 'advisory agencies') also have an interest in, or specific responsibilities for, preparing and assessing the EIS.
Other agencies that are typically involved in reviewing a project's EIS include, but are not limited to:
- Department of Environment and Resource Management
- Department of Communities
- Queensland Health
- Department of Emergency Services
- Queensland Treasury
- Department of Housing
- Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, including:
- Primary Industries and Fisheries
- Mines and Energy
- Department of Transport and Main Roads
- local councils
- Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
Have your say
The public and state government advisory agencies can comment at two points in the EIS process:
Occasionally, the public and advisory agencies may also be invited to comment on:
Other approvals processes suspended
While a significant project is undergoing an environmental impact assessment, the following are suspended:
- Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) approvals process - under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971
- approvals processes under other relevant Acts.
This suspension remains in place until the Coordinator-General's report on the EIS is completed and sent to the IDAS assessment manager and other assessment managers for their consideration.
