The NT EPA has determined that the Project Ares hyperscale data centre campus proposed by Energy North Pty Ltd requires assessment at the level of an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the Environment Protection Act 2019 (EP Act).
The proposal is the first of its kind to be referred to the NT EPA. The NT EPA considers that the proposal has the potential to have a significant impact on the environment including environmental values associated with 10 environmental factors as outlined in the notice of decision and statement of reasons PDF (167.4 KB) published. Assessment by EIS is the highest method of assessment under the EP Act and allows multiple opportunities for public and government authority consultation during the assessment process.
The NT EPA has suspended the timeframe for a decision on the terms of reference for the EIS to enable consultation with the National Environmental Protection Agency. The terms of reference will be published on the NT EPA website after they are finalised and issued.
The NT EPA notes that the Australian Government is developing policy expectations for data centres and AI infrastructure developers with the aim of incentivising investment consistent with national interests. As policy and industry evolve, requirements of proponents and environmental impact assessment processes will also evolve.