ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 1997

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

• 1 Name of Act  
• 3 Dictionary  
• 3A Notes  
• 3B Offences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc  
• 3C Objects of Act  
• 3D Principles applying to Act  
• 4 Meaning of contaminated land  
• 5 Things taken to have impact causing environmental harm  
• 6 Application of Act to Emergencies Act 2004  
• 7 Construction consistent with certain other laws  
• 8 Limitation of application in relation to certain people and things  
• 9 Civil remedies and common law not affected  
• 10 Criminal liability of the Territory  

PART 2--ADMINISTRATION

Division 2.1--Environment Protection Authority

• 11 Environment Protection Authority  
• 12 Authority's functions  
• 13 Delegation by authority  
• 14 Authorised officers  
• 15 Analysts  
• 16 Identity cards  
• 17 Disclosure of interests  
• 18 Legal immunity  

Division 2.2--Public inspection of documents

• 19 Inspection of documents  
• 20 Copies of documents  
• 21 Exclusion of material  

Division 2.3--Register of contaminated sites

• 21A Register of contaminated sites  
• 21B Notification of making of certain entries in register  

PART 3--ENVIRONMENTAL DUTIES

• 22 General environmental duty  
• 23 Duty to notify of actual or threatened environmental harm  
• 23A Duty to notify existence of contaminated land  

PART 4--ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION POLICIES

• 23B Definitions for pt 4  
• 24 Contents  
• 25 Consultation on draft environment protection policy  
• 26 Consideration of suggestions etc and revision of draft environment protection  
• 27 Making of environment protection policy  
• 28 Notification of environment protection policies etc  
• 29 Inspection  
• 30 Legal character  

PART 5--ACCREDITED CODES OF PRACTICE

• 31 Accrediting codes of practice  
• 32 Public notice of accredited codes of practice  
• 33 Deemed compliance with general environmental duty  

PART 6--ECONOMIC MEASURES

• 34 Schemes for economic measures  
• 35 Bubble licences  
• 36 Tradeable permits  
• 37 Regulation may make provision for schemes  

PART 7--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGREEMENTS

• 38 Entering agreements  
• 39 Form and terms of agreements  
• 40 Effect of agreements  
• 41 Notification of environmental protection agreements  

PART 8--ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATIONS

Division 8.1A--Interpretation for pt 8

• 41A Meaning of environmental authorisation  

Division 8.1--Requirements to hold and comply with an authorisation

• 42 Conducting prescribed classes of activities  
• 43 Authority may require environmental authorisation  
• 44 Conducting activities other than prescribed activities  
• 45 Compliance with authorisation  

Division 8.2--Grant, variation, cancellation and suspension

• 46 Kinds of authorisation  
• 47 Application  
• 48 Consultation on application for environmental authorisation  
• 49 Grant  
• 50 Notification of grant  
• 51 Kinds of conditions  
• 52 Period of authorisation  
• 53 Authorisation fees  
• 55 Nonpayment of fees  
• 57 Review of certain authorisations  
• 58 Review of accredited environmental authorisations  
• 59 Notification of review of environmental authorisations  
• 60 Variation  
• 61 Matters required to be taken into account for certain decisions under div  
• 62 Notice of intention to vary an authorisation  
• 63 Suspension and cancellation  
• 64 Notice of intention to suspend or cancel an authorisation  
• 65 Effect of suspension  
• 66 Surrender of environmental authorisation  
• 67 Notification of ceasing activity  
• 67A Recognised environmental authorisations  

PART 9--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Division 9.1--Environmental improvement plans

• 68 Contents of environmental improvement plan  
• 69 Authority may require environmental improvement plan  
• 71 Approval of environmental improvement plan  
• 72 Accreditation of voluntary improvement plans  

Division 9.2--Environmental audits

• 73 Meaning of auditor for div 9.2  
• 74 Conduct of audits  
• 75 Certain auditors to be approved  
• 76 Authority may require environmental audit  
• 76A Requests for auditor's statements  
• 76B Annual returns—auditors  
• 77 Authority's response to environmental audit report  
• 78 Protection for reports of voluntary audits  
• 79 Protection does not extend to environment protection orders  

Division 9.3--Emergency plans

• 80 Definitions for div 9.3  
• 81 Contents of emergency plan  
• 82 Authority may require emergency plan  
• 84 Approval of emergency plan  

Division 9.4--Financial assurances

• 85 Authority may require financial assurance  
• 86 Show cause why financial assurance should not be provided  
• 87 Non-provision of financial assurance  
• 88 Claim on or realisation of financial assurance  
• 89 Notice before claim on or realisation of a financial assurance  
• 90 Recovery of extra costs  
• 91 Money held by Territory as financial assurance  

Division 9.5--Assessment and remediation

• 91A Definitions for div 9.5  
• 91B Assessment of risk of harm  
• 91C Order to assess whether land contaminated  
• 91D Order to remediate land  
• 91E Notification of certain people about orders for assessment or  
• 91F Certain documents to be available free of charge  
• 91G Extension of time  
• 91H Further information  
• 91I Choice of appropriate person  

Division 9.6--Costs of assessment and remediation

• 91J Meaning of assessment order and remediation  
• 91K Recovery of costs associated with assessment or remediation  
• 91L Priority for costs if owner insolvent  
• 91M Recovery of costs—assessment and remediation  
• 91N Costs—person responsible for contamination  
• 91O Liability for losses  
• 91P Director of body corporate that is wound up  
• 91Q Director of body corporate that disposed of land  
• 91R Holding company of body corporate that is wound up  

PART 9A--FUEL SALES INFORMATION

• 92 Fuel sales—provision of information  
• 92A Confidential commercial information must not be disclosed  

PART 10--FUNCTIONS OF THE MINISTER

• 92B Definitions—pt 10  
• 93 Directions of Minister  
• 94 Environmental impact statements and inquiries  
• 94A Application of Planning Act 2023, pt 6.3  

PART 11--POWERS OF AUTHORISED OFFICERS

Division 11.1--Preliminary

• 95 Definitions—pt 11  

Division 11.2--Entry and inspection generally

• 96 Entry of premises—routine inspections  
• 97 Entry of premises—search warrants  
• 98 Identity cards must be produced  
• 99 Inspection of premises—routine inspections  
• 100 Inspection of premises—search warrant  
• 101 Routine inspections—serious and urgent circumstances  
• 103 Consent to entry  
• 104 Search warrants  

Division 11.3--Emergency powers

• 105 Emergency situations  
• 106 Taking or directing action  
• 107 Entry and exercise of powers  

Division 11.4--Seizure, retention and disposal of things

• 108 Seizure  
• 109 Retention to adduce evidence  
• 110 Disposal  

Division 11.5--Other powers

• 111 Power to require name and address  

PART 12--POWERS OF ANALYSTS

• 112 Entry of premises  
• 113 Evidence of analysis  

PART 13--ENFORCEMENT

Division 13.2--Environment protection orders

• 125 Environment protection orders  
• 126 Contravention of environment protection order  

Division 13.3--Injunctive orders

• 127 Application for order  
• 128 Making of order  
• 129 Interim order  
• 130 Costs—public interest  
• 131 Security for costs etc  
• 132 Compensation  

Division 13.4--Power to require information

• 133 Information discovery orders  
• 134 Contravention of information discovery order  

PART 14--NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF DECISIONS

• 135 Definitions—pt 14  
• 136 Internal review and reviewable decision notices  
• 136A Applications for internal review  
• 136B Applications not stay internally reviewable decisions  
• 136C Review by authority  
• 136D Applications for review  

PART 14A--ENFORCEABLE UNDERTAKINGS

• 136E Definitions—pt 14A  
• 136F Making of environmental undertakings  
• 136G Acceptance of environmental undertaking  
• 136H Withdrawal from or amendment of enforceable undertaking  
• 136I Ending enforceable undertaking  
• 136J Undertaking not admission of fault etc  
• 136K Contravention of enforceable undertakings  
• 136L Effect of enforceable undertaking on other proceedings  

PART 15--OFFENCES

Division 15.1--Environmental offences

• 137 Causing serious environmental harm or likely serious environmental  
• 138 Causing material environmental harm or likely material environmental  
• 139 Causing environmental harm or likely environmental harm  
• 140 Person may be found guilty of lesser charge  
• 141 Causing environmental nuisance  
• 142 Placing pollutant where it could cause harm  
• 143 No offence committed  
• 144 Liability limited to harm caused by excess pollutants  
Subdivision 15.1.2--Specific offences
• 145 Offences in schedule 2  

Division 15.2--Extensions of liability for offences

• 146 Acts and omissions of representatives  
• 147 Criminal liability of executive officers  

Division 15.3--Other offences

• 148 Notice to transferee on transfer of activity or place  
• 149 Notice to authority of alteration to equipment and works  
• 150 Self-incrimination  
• 151 Failing to comply with requirement of inspector  

Division 15.4--Defences

• 153 Due diligence  
• 154 Defence of emergency  

Division 15.5--General

• 155 Strict liability offences  
• 156 Continuing offences  
• 157 Additional court orders  
• 158 Matters to be considered in imposing penalty  

PART 16--MISCELLANEOUS

• 159 Authorised acts and omissions  
• 159A National pollutant inventory—provision of information  
• 160 Recovery of clean-up costs  
• 161 Assessment of reasonable costs and expenses  
• 162 Verifying information  
• 163 Environmental record of directors, servants and agents  
• 164 Evidentiary matters  
• 164A Expiry of notifiable instruments  
• 165 Determination of fees etc  
• 166 Regulation-making power  
• SCHEDULE 1
• SCHEDULE 2
• SCHEDULE 3
DICTIONARY ENDNOTES