ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1994 - SECT 17 Serious environmental harm

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1994 - SECT 17

17 Serious environmental harm

(1)
"Serious environmental harm" is environmental harm (other than environmental nuisance)—

(a) that is irreversible, of a high impact or widespread; or

(b) caused to—

(i) an area of high conservation value; or

(ii) an area of special significance, such as the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; or

(c) that causes actual or potential loss or damage to property of an amount of, or amounts totalling, more than the threshold amount; or

(d) that results in costs of more than the threshold amount being incurred in taking appropriate action to—

(i) prevent or minimise the harm; and

(ii) rehabilitate or restore the environment to its condition before the harm.

(2) The chief executive must ensure a threshold amount calculated under subsection (3) , definition threshold amount , paragraph (b) is published on the department’s website during the financial year to which it relates.

(3) In this section—


"threshold amount" means—

(a) for the financial year ending 30 June 2023—$100,000; or

(b) for a later financial year—the threshold amount for the financial year immediately preceding the later financial year (the
"previous financial year" ) increased by the consumer price index for the previous financial year.