Environmental authorities

    Introduction to environmental authorities

    In Queensland, you need to apply for an environmental authority (EA) to undertake an environmentally relevant activity (ERA). ERAs are industrial, resource or intensive agricultural activities with the potential to release contaminants into the environment. They include a wide range of activities such as aquaculture, sewage treatment, cattle feed lotting, mining and resource activities such as petroleum (which includes coal seam gas), geothermal and greenhouse gas storage activities.

    You can apply for an EA online through Online Services.

    Alternatively, you can apply using the standard, variation or site-specific forms, which are available by emailing , or phoning 1300 130 372 and selecting option 4.

    If you are seeking further information about lodging an EA, please go to the Business Queensland website (search for environmental authority).

    Streamlined approvals for certain resource activities

    The Environmental Protection (Greentape Reduction) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2012 (Greentape Reduction Act) amended the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act). These amendments, which commenced on 1 April 2013, have simplified the way in which applications for EAs are assessed. These regulatory reforms introduced an integrated approval process for ERAs, which allows for approval requirements to be proportional to the environmental risk of the activity.

    Under these reforms, EA applications for low-risk petroleum exploration, petroleum survey, petroleum pipeline activities and geothermal exploration activities have changed where eligibility criteria and standard conditions are in place.

    Eligibility criteria are restrictions set to ensure environmental risks associated with the operation of an ERA are able to be managed by the standard conditions. Standard conditions are a set of operating conditions which must be complied with when undertaking the activity.

    The 3 different types of applications for an EA are:

    • standard applications—when an applicant can meet the eligibility criteria and all the standard conditions associated with an ERA. This application type is only permitted for low risk activities and as such, there is no assessment by the department.
    • variation applications—when an applicant can meet the eligibility criteria but needs to change one or more of the standard conditions for an ERA. The impacts from these changes are assessed by the department and standard conditions are varied.
    • site-specific applications—when an applicant does not meet the eligibility criteria for the ERA or where there are no eligibility criteria in existence. These applications are subject to a whole-of-project assessment and include public notification. Standard conditions may be used in these approvals however it is likely that site-specific conditions will also be needed to protect environmental values.

    Eligibility criteria and standard conditions for resource activities

    ERA standards, which include eligibility criteria and standard conditions, have been developed for low risk activities. A standard application process applies. Activities that have an ERA standard are listed below.

    If your activity is on the list, you should check that you can meet the eligibility criteria, and comply with the activity's standard conditions.

    Note: The ERA Standards refer to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008, which was repealed and replaced by the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 on 1 September 2019. A reference to the repealed regulation or a repealed provision in the ERA Standards should be read as a reference to the replacement regulation or the corresponding provision in the replacement regulation.

    The eligibility criteria and standard conditions (collectively known as ERA Standards) for certain petroleum activities and geothermal exploration are available here:

    Applicants for these activities can submit a standard application if they can meet the associated eligibility criteria and standard conditions. A variation application can be lodged if the eligibility criteria can be met but the applicant cannot or does not want to meet any one of the standard conditions for the activity.

    These ERA Standards were developed in consultation with industry and commenced on 31 May 2013. Minor changes were made to the standard conditions, and associated definitions (amended on 30 September 2015) to reflect the repeal of the Wild Rivers Act 2005.

    Applications for an environmental authority for petroleum, geothermal or greenhouse gas storage activities

    You can apply for an EA online through Online Services.

    Alternatively, you can apply using the standard, variation or site-specific forms, which are available by emailing or phoning 1300 130 372 and selecting option 4).

    If you are seeking further information about lodging an EA, please go to the Business Queensland website (search for environmental authority).

    See Current environmental authorities.

    Where an activity will result in significantly disturbed land, the department may require an EA holder to pay financial assurance (FA). FA is a type of financial security provided to the Queensland Government to cover any costs or expenses incurred in taking action to prevent or minimise environmental harm or rehabilitate or restore the environment, should the holder fail to meet their environmental obligations. Subject to successful rehabilitation and the EA holder meeting their closure conditions, FA is returned at the end of the project.

    For further information on FA, including when FA may be required and how it is calculated, refer to the Business Queensland website.

    Pre-lodgement services

    Applicants are encouraged to use the department’s pre-lodgement services before lodging a formal application. These services are complimentary and allow prospective applicants to seek direction and advice from the department regarding EA applications. More information about pre-lodgement services is available on the Business Queensland website.

    These services can be initiated by completing and submitting the application form Application for pre-lodgement services for an environmental authority.

    Streamlined model conditions for petroleum activities

    Streamlined model conditions (‘streamlined conditions’) for the petroleum industry were first published in April 2014. A revised version of the model conditions was published in May 2016 to account for:

    • the commencement of the Environmental Offsets Act 2014, which required the existing offset conditions to be amended, and
    • the repeal of the Wild Rivers Act 2000, which required the existing wild rivers condition to be deleted.

    The revised streamlined model conditions are detailed in the guideline Streamlined model conditions for petroleum activities—ESR/2016/1989.

    The streamlined conditions:

    • are based on acceptable management approaches and constraints to protect environmental values
    • can be incorporated into environmental authorities (EAs) for variation, site-specific or amendment applications for petroleum activities
    • can be incorporated in an EA to manage petroleum activities and meet the objectives of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act).

    Assisting the department in improving decision making timeframes, the streamlined conditions are outcomes-focused and provide for transparency and consistency across the petroleum industry. In addition, the conditions provide red tape reduction benefits for the petroleum industry while maintaining environmental standards.

    The information sheet How to address environmentally sensitive areas and offset requirements in an application for an environmental authority for resource activities—ESR/2016/1992 assists applicants with addressing environmentally sensitive areas and offset requirements in an application for an EA for resource activities.