{"id":"environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003","name":"Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003","slug":"environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176593,"registerId":"wa-environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nEnvironmental Protection Act 1986\n\nEnvironmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003\n\nWestern Australia\n\nEnvironmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003\n\nContents\n\n1. Citation 1\n\n2. Commencement 1\n\n3. Terms used 1\n\n4. Prescribed licence conditions for premises discharging sulfur dioxide 2\n\n5. Repeal 2\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 3\n\nDefined terms\n\n  \n\nWestern Australia\n\nEnvironmental Protection Act 1986\n\nEnvironmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003\n\n##### 1. Citation\n\n\t\tThese regulations may be cited as the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003*.\n\n##### 2. Commencement\n\nThese regulations come into operation on the day on which the policy comes into operation.\n\n##### 3. Terms used\n\n(1) In these regulations —\n\npolicy means the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy 2003* —\n\n(a) approved under the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order 2003* (published in *Gazette* 18 March 2003, p. 799‑807); and\n\n(b) confirmed under the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order (No. 2) 2003* (published in *Gazette* 10 June 2003, p. 2085‑92); and\n\n(c) set out in the Appendix to the order referred to in paragraph (b).\n\n(2) Unless the contrary intention appears, words and expressions defined in clause 2 of the policy and used in these regulations have the same respective meanings as they have in the policy.\n\n[Regulation 3 amended: Gazette 22 Aug 2014 p. 3033.]\n\n##### 4. Prescribed licence conditions for premises discharging sulfur dioxide\n\n(1) For the purposes of section 62(2) of the Act, the condition set out in subregulation (2) is prescribed as a condition that may be attached to a works approval or licence.\n\n(2) The occupier must ensure that the operations on the premises are conducted in such a way as neither to cause, nor to contribute to causing, the maximum sulfur dioxide concentration permitted in the ambient air of a protected area under clause 6 of the policy to be exceeded at any place within the area.\n\n[Regulation 4 amended: Gazette 22 Aug 2014 p. 3034.]\n\n##### 5. Repeal\n\nThe *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulphur Dioxide) Regulations 1992* are repealed.\n\nNotes\n\n1 This is a compilation of the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003* and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table*.*\n\nCompilation table\n\n| **Citation** | **Gazettal** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Regulations 2003* | 18 Mar 2003 p. 806-7 | 18 Mar 2003 (see r. 2 and *Gazette* 18 Mar 2003 p. 799) |\n| *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Amendment Regulations 2014* | 22 Aug 2014 p. 3033‑4 | r. 1 and 2: 22 Aug 2014 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 23 Aug 2014 (see r. 2(b)) |\n\n\nDefined terms\n\n*[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]*\n\n**Defined term Provision(s)**\n\npolicy 3(1)\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Insufficient information is available to assess whether the scope changed from the original intent. The legislation text is inaccessible. Based on the title alone, the regulation appears narrowly scoped to sulfur dioxide emissions in Goldfields residential areas, which is consistent with a targeted environmental protection instrument. No amendments or scope changes can be confirmed."},"complexity_factors":["The actual legislative text is unavailable, making meaningful legal analysis impossible","Regulations of this type typically involve technical environmental standards (e.g., parts per million thresholds) which can be technically complex even if legally straightforward","Interaction with broader Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) framework adds potential complexity","Score is low because the title and context suggest a narrow, targeted instrument rather than a broad or multi-layered one"],"plain_english_summary":"This regulation appears to have set sulfur dioxide (SO₂) standards for residential areas in WA’s Goldfields, affecting local residents and industrial operators (notably mining and smelting) by defining air‑quality obligations and potential compliance consequences. Its text is currently unavailable online, so the exact limits, duties and enforcement details can’t be confirmed.\n\nIf you need the instrument or its current status, contact the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office or WA’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original narrow purpose. It was enacted in 2003 specifically to prescribe licence conditions for sulfur dioxide emissions in Goldfields residential areas, and it continues to serve exactly that function. The 2014 amendment was purely technical (updating references), not an expansion of scope."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 5 regulations spanning 3 pages","Minimal defined terms: only 1 term defined in the regulations themselves ('policy')","Single operative provision (regulation 4) that delegates all substantive standards to an external policy document","No nested exceptions, conditional logic, or cross-referencing maze—just a straightforward incorporation by reference","Simple structure: citation, commencement, definitions, operative provision, repeal"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese regulations set a specific pollution control rule for industrial operations in Western Australia's Goldfields region. They require that any factory, mine, or industrial site releasing sulfur dioxide (a toxic gas that smells like rotten eggs and can cause breathing problems) must operate in a way that doesn't push air pollution levels above safe limits in nearby residential areas.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Industrial operators** in the Goldfields with works approvals or licences to discharge sulfur dioxide\n- **Local residents** living in \"protected areas\" (towns and communities near industrial sites)\n- **Government regulators** who attach conditions to environmental licences\n\n**How it works:**\n\nThe regulations don't set the actual pollution limits themselves. Instead, they:\n1. **Point to a separate policy document** (the *Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy 2003*) which contains the technical air quality standards\n2. **Create a licence condition** that regulators can slap on industrial permits, requiring operators to stay under those policy limits\n3. **Replace older rules** from 1992 that used the British spelling \"Sulphur\" with updated regulations using the American spelling \"Sulfur\"\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThe Goldfields region has significant mining and smelting activity that can release sulfur dioxide. Without these rules, residential communities near industrial sites could face unhealthy air quality. The regulations create a legal hook—if an operator breaches the condition and causes excessive pollution, they can face enforcement action under the *Environmental Protection Act 1986*.\n\n**Key point:** This is a short, technical instrument that bridges the gap between broad environmental law and specific pollution standards, ensuring cleaner air for Goldfields residents."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"These 2003 regulations repeal the 1992 Sulphur Dioxide regulations (regulation 5) and substitute a targeted licensing duty that expressly ties licence conditions to the maximum ambient SO2 concentration set in clause 6 of the 2003 Policy (regulations 3(1) and 4(2)). Practically, scope now depends on that policy’s standard and date of commencement (regulation 2). The occupier of the premises bears the compliance and monitoring obligations (regulation 4(2))."},"complexity_factors":["Dependence on an external policy for the substantive standard (regulation 3(1) defines the policy; regulation 4(2) ties the condition to clause 6 of that policy).","Cross‑reference to the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (condition is prescribed for the purposes of section 62(2) of the Act) — requires users to consult the Act for licensing mechanics (regulation 4(1)).","Legal phrasing creates interpretive issues about causation and contribution (the occupier must not 'cause, nor...contribute to causing' exceedances) which affects monitoring and enforcement (regulation 4(2)).","Commencement is linked to the policy’s commencement, so regulatory effect depends on the policy’s operational date (regulation 2).","Repeal of the 1992 regulations requires comparison to prior rules to assess scope change and transitional compliance obligations (regulation 5).","Limited substantive content: a single prescribed condition simplifies drafting but shifts complexity into implementation (monitoring, compliance demonstrations, and enforcement depend on external instruments and administrative practice)."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations require occupiers of premises that discharge sulfur dioxide in specified Goldfields residential areas to have a licence condition preventing their operations from causing or contributing to exceedance of the maximum SO2 concentration set in clause 6 of the Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy 2003. They matter because they assign the compliance, monitoring and control costs to occupiers, link licences to an external policy standard, and repeal the 1992 regulations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003","history":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003/history","analysis":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/environmental-protection-goldfields-residential-areas-sulfur-dioxide-regulations-2003/documents"}}