New South Wales Consolidated Acts

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979 - SECT 112

112 Decision of determining authority in relation to certain activities

(1) A determining authority shall not carry out an activity, or grant an approval in relation to an activity, being an activity that is a prescribed activity, an activity of a prescribed kind or an activity that is likely to significantly affect the environment (including critical habitat) or threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats, unless:

(a) the determining authority has obtained or been furnished with and has examined and considered an environmental impact statement in respect of the activity:

(i) prepared in the prescribed form and manner by or on behalf of the proponent, and

(ii) except where the proponent is the determining authority, submitted to the determining authority in the prescribed manner,

(b) notice referred to in section 113 (1) has been duly given by the determining authority (or, where a nominated determining authority has been nominated in relation to the activity, by the nominated determining authority), the period specified in the notice has expired and the determining authority has examined and considered any representations made to it or any other determining authority in accordance with section 113 (2),

(c) the determining authority has complied with section 113 (3),

(d) where it receives notice from the Director-General that the Minister has requested that a review be held by the Planning Assessment Commission with respect to the activity, the review has been held and the determining authority has considered the findings and recommendations of the Planning Assessment Commission and any advice given to it by the Minister in accordance with section 114, and

(e) where it receives notice from the Director-General that the Director-General has decided that an examination be undertaken in accordance with section 113 (5), that examination has been carried out and the determining authority has considered the report furnished to it in accordance with that subsection.

(1A) A determining authority shall not grant an approval in relation to an activity referred to in subsection (1) that is to be carried out in respect of land that is, or is part of, a wilderness area (within the meaning of the Wilderness Act 1987 ) unless any consent to the activity required under that Act has been obtained.

(1B) Without limiting subsection (1), a determining authority must not carry out an activity, or grant an approval in relation to an activity, being an activity that is in respect of land that is, or is a part of, critical habitat or is likely to significantly affect threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats, unless a species impact statement, or an environmental impact statement that includes a species impact statement, has been prepared (in each case) in accordance with Division 2 of Part 6 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 .

(1C) An environmental impact statement is not required (despite subsection (1) (a)) in respect of an activity that:

(a) is on land that is, or is part of, critical habitat, or is likely to significantly affect threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats, and

(b) is not likely to significantly affect the environment except as described in paragraph (a),

if the determining authority has obtained or been furnished with a species impact statement in respect of the activity, prepared in accordance with Division 2 of Part 6 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 . However, the provisions of this Part relating to environmental impact statements (other than subsection (1) (a) (i)) apply to the species impact statement as if references to an environmental impact statement included a reference to the species impact statement.

An activity is taken not to significantly affect threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats if:

(a) the activity is to be carried out on biodiversity certified land (within the meaning of Part 7AA of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 ), or

(b) a biobanking statement has been issued in respect of the activity under Part 7A of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 .

(2) The determining authority or nominated determining authority, as the case requires, shall, as soon as practicable after an environmental impact statement is obtained by or furnished to it, as referred to in subsection (1), but before giving notice under section 113 (1), furnish to the Director-General a copy of the statement.

(3) A determining authority or nominated determining authority, as the case requires, shall furnish such number of additional copies of an environmental impact statement to the Director-General as the Director-General may request.

(4) Before carrying out an activity referred to in subsection (1) or in determining whether to grant an approval in relation to such an activity, a determining authority which is satisfied that the activity will detrimentally affect the environment (including critical habitat) or threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats:

(a) may, except where it is the proponent of the activity:

(i) impose such conditions or require such modifications as will in its opinion eliminate or reduce the detrimental effect of the activity on the environment (including critical habitat) or threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats, or

(ii) disapprove of the activity, or

(b) may, where it is the proponent of the activity:

(i) modify the proposed activity so as to eliminate or reduce the detrimental effect of the activity on the environment (including critical habitat) or threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or their habitats, or

(ii) refrain from undertaking the activity.

(5) Where a determining authority, not being the proponent of an activity, imposes conditions as referred to in subsection (4) (a) (i) or disapproves of an activity as referred to in subsection (4) (a) (ii), the determining authority shall, by notice in writing to the proponent, indicate the reasons for the imposition of the conditions or for disapproving of the activity.

(6) The provisions of subsection (4) have effect notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act (other than Part 3A or Part 5.1) or the provisions of any other Act or of any instrument made under this or any other Act.

(7) Where a nominated determining authority has been nominated in relation to an activity, no other determining authority which may grant an approval in relation to the activity shall be concerned to inquire whether or not the nominated determining authority has complied with this section or section 113.