Enable early filtering of flawed or inappropriately sited proposals by relevant agencies to provide quick advice that a proposal is unlikely to be environmentally acceptable using the following two-tiered approach:
(i) Pre-referral screening by agencies
- Resource government agencies to support specialist environmental review or access to independent expert advice.
- Ensure that weak or flawed proposals that come before government agencies have major issues addressed or are otherwise filtered out prior to being referred to the EPA.
- Agencies engaging with proponents should seek early feedback on potential siting issues, design flaws and/or environmental impacts from relevant environment agencies and should engage with the EPA early in the process.
(ii) Quick dismissal of unacceptable proposals Amend EIA administrative procedures - and legislation if necessary – to enable the EPA to provide a rapid determination that a proposal is unlikely to be environmentally acceptable. This mechanism should apply to proposals that:
- would clearly not be able to meet the EPA’s environmental objectives;
- are in contravention of existing environmental policies;
- could not be reasonably modified to meet the EPA’s objectives; and
- are proposed in clear no-go zones for development, for example, in environmentally sensitive areas (see Recommendation 2 under ‘Adopt a Bioregional Planning Framework’)