Environmental impact assessment allows the NT EPA to analyse the significant potential environmental impacts of a development proposal, and make recommendations to the Minister about the acceptability, or otherwise, of those potential environmental impacts.
Environmental impact assessment is only required if the NT EPA decides that the proposal has the potential to have a significant impact on the environment.
The process for environmental impact assessment is legislated under the Environment Protection Act 2019 and Environment Protection Regulations 2020. The Environment Protection Act 2019 replaced the Environmental Assessment Act 1982 on 28 June 2020. Proposals undergoing an assessment process at the time the new legislation commenced are required to transition into the new assessment system.
The NT EPA has prepared the following guidance material to inform proponents and other stakeholders about environmental impact assessment in the Northern Territory.
Read the guide to environmental impact assessment approvals in the NT PDF (854.7 KB).
View the flowchart of the environmental impact assessment process PDF (689.7 KB).
The Environment Protection Act 2019 replaced the Environmental Assessment Act 1982 on 28 June 2020. The NT EPA has prepared a policy to assist proponents that are required to transition into the new assessment system.
The NT EPA has prepared guidance material for proponents and other stakeholders participating in an environmental impact assessment process.
Referring a proposal to the NT EPA
If you are the proponent of a development proposal, you are legally required to refer your proposal to the NT EPA, if the proposal may have a significant impact on the environment.
The NT EPA has prepared the following guidance to assist proponent to understand:
- when a referral is required
- the information that must be submitted in the referral and
- how the NT EPA will make a decision about whether the proposal has the potential to have a significant impact or not.
Read the:
- Guide to NT EPA environmental factors and objectives PDF (300.2 KB)
- Referring a proposal to the NT EPA PDF (552.1 KB)
- Guide to stakeholder engagement PDF (551.1 KB).
The NT EPA has prepared a Form - Referral of a proposal v3.0 DOCX (53.5 KB) that must accompany each referral.
Forms and guidance materials for proponents and other stakeholders can be found here.
New proponents are encouraged to contact us early, to discuss whether their proposal requires referral to the NT EPA.
Public consultation
The community is afforded the opportunity to make written comments on proposals at various stages of the environmental impact assessment process.
To assist members of the community to make a submission; and understand how the NT EPA takes public comments into account; the NT EPA has prepared the following guidance.
Read the guidance for preparing a submission PDF (729.5 KB).
Proposals that are undergoing environmental impact assessment are listed on the NT EPA’s consultation hub. The hub provides information about opportunities for public comment for each proposal.
Environmental impact assessment registers
Proposals that are undergoing an environmental impact assessment process are listed on the Assessments in progress register.
Proposals that have completed environmental impact assessment are listed on the Completed assessments register.