Sch 3

SCHEDULE 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1. The parties agree that it is desirable to establish certainty about the application, procedures and function of the environmental impact assessment process, to improve the consistency of the approach applied by all levels of Government, to avoid duplication of process where more than one Government or level of Government is involved and interested in the subject matter of an assessment and to avoid delays in the process. 2. The parties agree that impact assessment in relation to a project, program or policy should include, where appropriate, assessment of environmental, cultural, economic, social and health factors. 3. The parties agree that all levels of Government will ensure that their environmental impact assessment processes are based on the following: (i) the environmental impact assessment process will be applied to proposals from both the public and private sectors; (ii) assessing authorities will provide information to give clear guidance on the types of proposals likely to attract environmental impact assessment and on the level of assessment required; (iii) assessing authorities will provide all participants in the process with guidance on the criteria for environmental acceptability of potential impacts including the concept of ecologically sustainable development, maintenance of human health, relevant local and national standards and guidelines, protocols, codes of practice and regulations; (iv) assessing authorities will provide proposal specific guidelines or a procedure for their generation focussed on key issues and incorporating public concern together with a clear outline of the process; (v) following the establishment of specific assessment guidelines, any amendments to those guidelines will be based only on significant issues that have arisen following the adoption of those guidelines; (vi) time schedules for all stages of the assessment process will be set early on a proposal specific basis, in consultations between the assessing authorities and the proponent; (vii) levels of assessment will be appropriate to the degree of environmental significance and potential public interest; (viii) proponents will take responsibility for preparing the case required for assessment of a proposal and for elaborating environmental issues which much be taken into account in decisions, and for protection of the environment; (ix) there will be full public disclosure of all information related to a proposal and its environmental impacts, except where there are legitimate reasons for confidentiality including national security interests; (x) opportunities will be provided for appropriate and adequate public consultation on environmental aspects of proposals before the assessment process is complete; (xi) mechanisms will be developed to seek to resolve conflicts and disputes over issues which arise for consideration during the course of the assessment process; (xii) the environmental impact assessment process will provide a basis for setting environmental conditions, and establishing environmental monitoring and management programs (including arrangements for review) and developing industry guidelines for application in specific cases. 4. A general framework agreement between the Commonwealth and the States on the administration of the environmental impact assessment process will be negotiated to avoid duplication and to ensure that proposals affecting more than one of them are assessed in accordance with agreed arrangements. 5. The Commonwealth and the States may approve or accredit their respective environmental impact assessment processes either generally or for specific purposes. Where such approval or accreditation has been given, the Commonwealth and the States agree that they will give full faith and credit to the results of such processes when exercising their responsibilities.