Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

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

              Subdivision 15.1.1--General 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