Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations (No 2) 2024

Overview

Part 9A of the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987 (EP Regulations), prescribe classes of relevant schemes that are exempt from being referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for assessment.

On 12 December 2023 the Independent Review of WA Environmental Approval Processes and Procedures (Vogel-McFerran Review) recommended to reduce the referral of schemes and scheme amendments required to be referred to the EPA under section 48A of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.

To implement this recommendation, the Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations 2024 were made in January 2024 to add more exemptions to Part 9A of the EP Regulations.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the department), in consultation with the EPA and Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage has now identified an additional number of proposed classes of relevant planning schemes that could be exempt from referral to the EPA on the basis that they do not have a significant impact on the environment.

The department is seeking feedback on this second tranche of exemptions for proposed planning schemes and planning scheme amendments.

The draft of the Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations (No. 2) 2024 has been developed for public consultation and an information paper is available.

Submissions will close at 5pm (WST) Friday 15 November 2024.

Feedback

Written feedback on the consultation draft should be submitted to planningschemeconsultation@dwer.wa.gov.au. No late submissions will be considered. Please note that written submissions may be published on our website.

Questions about the consultation process and how to provide feedback can be sent to planningschemeconsultation@dwer.wa.gov.au.

Consultation documents

• Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations (No 2) 2024 (Consultation draft)
• Environmental Protection Amendment Regulations (No 2) 2024 - Consultation information paper