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Environment Protection Act 1997
125Environment protection orders
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125 Environment protection orders
(1) If the authority has reasonable grounds for believing that a person has
contravened or is contravening an environmental authorisation or a
provision of this Act, the authority may serve an environment
protection order on the person.
(2) If the authority is satisfied that land is contaminated, but has
reasonable grounds for believing that if the land were—
(a) to continue to be used for its present use; or
(b) to be used for a specified use, or a use in a specified class of
uses, other than its present use;
it would not cause, or would not be likely to cause, a significant risk
of harm to human health or a significant risk of material
environmental harm or serious environmental harm, the authority
may serve an environment protection order on the relevant person in
relation to the land.
(3) If the authority is satisfied that land is contaminated but has
reasonable grounds for believing that the contamination is not, or is
not likely to, cause a significant risk of harm to human health or a
environmental harm while measures for its containment continue, the
authority may serve an environment protection order on the relevant
person in relation to the land.
Environment protection orders Division 13.2
(4) An order must be in writing and must—
(a) identify the person on whom the order is served; and
(b) if the order is grounded on a contravention of this Act, specify—
(i) the provision of this Act alleged to have been contravened;
and
(ii) the nature of, and the day, time and place of, the alleged
contravention; and
(c) if the order is grounded on a contravention of an environmental
authorisation, specify—
(i) the condition of the authorisation alleged to have been
contravened; and
(ii) the nature of, and the day, time and place of, the alleged
contravention; and
(d) if the order is served under subsection (2) or (3)—
(i) the nature of the substances in, on or under the land the
subject of the order; and
(ii) the grounds on which the authority holds its belief; and
(e) require that specified action be taken, stopped or not begun by
the person; and
(f) set out the maximum penalty, on conviction, for a failure to
comply with the order.
(5) An order may impose any requirement reasonably required for the
purposes for which the order is served, including 1 or more of the
(a) that the person stop or not begin a specified activity indefinitely
or for a specified period;
(b) that the person undertake, within a specified period—
(i) specified action to remedy specified environmental harm;
and
(ii) if appropriate, specified action to prevent or mitigate
further environmental harm;
(c) that the person undertake, within a specified period, specified
action for the restoration of the environment in a public place or
for the public benefit;
(d) that the person undertake, within a specified period, any other
specified action;
(e) that the person not conduct a specified activity except during
specified times or subject to specified conditions;
(f) that the person provide specified information to the authority in
relation to the environmental impact of an activity being
conducted by the person.
(6) In this section, a reference to a contravention of this Act includes a
reference to a failure to comply with the general environmental duty.
(7) In this section:
(a) the occupier of the land; and
(b) if the occupier is not the lessee—the lessee; and
Injunctive orders Division 13.3