Environmental Impact Assessment and Approval Timelines

Environment Protection Act 2019 and Environment Protection Regulations 2020

Key Notes
Tier 1 - Assessment on Referral Information Documentation is published at each stage of the assessment process
Tier 2 - Assessment by Supplementary Environmental Report (SER) Reasons for decision are also published at each decision point
Tier 3 - Assessment by Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) All timeframes are expressed as business days
TOR - Terms of Reference Public Comment - period may be extended in consultation with the proponent
SUPP - Supplement Range of 30-60 business days (determined by NT EPA) applies to public comment on draft EIS

Proponent Action - Referral Proponent Initiated EIS Referral

15 days

15 Accept or refuse referral 15 Accept or refuse

15 days
DECISION referral

20 Public comment on referral DECISION

50 days

30 Determine if assessment is required and level of assessment 30 Public comment

on referral
DECISION
including TOR
35
Determine if
assessment is

65 days
required and level
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
of assessment, and
finalise TOR or issue
SER direction (if EIS
not proceeding)

30 25 Proponent directed 40 Draft TOR prepared DECISION

about matters to be
included in SER 15 Public comment
185 - 215 days + Proponent time for EIS preparation + Supplement preparation

on TOR
Proponent Action - SER
15 TOR finalised
25 Public comment

115 - 145 days + Proponent time for EIS preparation + Supplement reparation
Proponent Action - EIS Proponent Action - EIS
on SER
90 days + Proponent time for SER preparation

30- 30- Public comment

40 Public comment 60
60
on draft EIS on draft EIS
Assessment Report
prepared 25 Proponent directed 25 Proponent directed
Environmental about matters about matters
to be included in
30 days

Approval drafted to be included in

Supplement Supplement
Comments from Assessment Report
proponent and prepared Proponent Action - SUPP
Proponent Action - SUPP
statutory decision Environmental
makers sought Public comment 15 Public comment
Approval drafted 15
on SUPP on SUPP
Comments from
proponent and 45 Assessment Report 45 Assessment Report
statutory decision prepared prepared
makers sought Environmental
Environmental
Approval drafted Approval drafted
Comments from Comments from
proponent and proponent and
statutory decision statutory decision
makers sought makers sought

30 Minister’s Decision
30 days

Environmental Approval granted or refused

DECISION

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

27 April 2020 | Version 1.0
Page 1 of 1