Northern Territory Numbered Acts Northern Territory Numbered Acts(1) If the NT EPA provides the Minister with a statement of unacceptable impact, the Minister:
(a) must consider the assessment report and the statement; and
(b) may decide:
(i) to accept the statement and refuse to grant the environmental approval; or
(ii) not to accept the statement and grant environmental approval to the proponent.
(2) In addition to the matters set out in Part 2, the Minister must have regard to the following in making a decision under this section:
(a) the objects of this Act;
(b) the assessment report on the action;
(c) any other matters the Minister considers relevant.
(3) If the Minister intends to accept the statement of unacceptable impact, the Minister must:
(a) make reasonable efforts to obtain the views of any statutory decision-maker who the Minister considers may hold views in relation to the matter; and
(b) consider any written comments received from the statutory decision-maker within the time specified in writing by the Minister.
(4) The required time under section 77 for the Minister to make a decision ceases to run during any period that the Minister carries out a consultation under subsection (3).
(5) Before deciding not to accept a statement of unacceptable impact, the Minister must be satisfied that:
(a) the community has been consulted on the potential environmental impacts and environmental benefits of the proposed action; and
(b) the significant impacts of the action have been appropriately avoided or mitigated or can be appropriately managed; and
(c) if appropriate, environmental offsets can be provided in accordance with this Act for significant residual adverse impacts on the environment that cannot be avoided or mitigated; and
(d) the proponent is a fit and proper person to hold an environmental approval.