Eligibility criteria and standard conditions (ERA standards)

Under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the administering authority (the department) may approve eligibility criteria and standard conditions (ERA standards) for an environmentally relevant activity (ERA).

Prior to 31 March 2013, the Minister had approved codes of environmental compliance (codes). These codes are now known as ERA standards. The eligibility criteria and standard conditions of these codes are taken to be eligibility criteria and standard conditions for the ERA until any new ERA standard take effect.

Any new operation commencing from 31 March 2013 that meets the eligibility criteria for an activity and all of the standard conditions, can make a standard application for an environmental authority (EA) to carry out this activity. The conditions that apply to the EA will be the standard conditions.

Where the operation cannot meet all the standard conditions, a variation application for an EA can be made. The EA will include the standard conditions as modified by any approved variations.

If the eligibility criteria cannot be met, then a site-specific application for an EA can be made.

Anyone holding a registration certificate to operate under a code before 31 March 2013 is automatically taken to have an EA for the ERA. The registration certificate becomes an EA and the standard environmental conditions of the code will become the standard conditions of the EA. The anniversary day of the EA is the anniversary day of the registration certificate.

ERA standards have been developed for the following activities: