Strategic Environmental Assessment
The strategic approval process involves a strategic environmental assessment. During this stage, many studies have been and will continue to be completed to inform a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) document and the development of the draft Middle Arm Precinct Program.
Commencement of the strategic assessment is the starting point of a rigorous process to provide better environmental outcomes. It’s a ‘big picture’ assessment as an alternative to project-by-project assessments by each future proponent (industry). It provides an opportunity to understand and avoid the cumulative (or combined) impacts from multiple projects over time.
This is the first strategic assessment undertaken for a project in the NT. Strategic assessment is complex and requires a more comprehensive assessment associated with grouped development (i.e. a Precinct). This can result in a longer assessment period than a standalone project.
The significant work underway is multi -layered and iterative. As project definition and design progress, survey and assessment requirements become clearer, allowing for a more targeted identification of the services necessary to deliver appropriate environmental studies and impact assessments. This adaptive approach ensures that the studies and assessments remain aligned with regulatory expectations and project-specific needs, enabling sustainable development within the NT.
The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure has commissioned a strategic assessment that takes account of all likely activities in the precinct for the next 50 years.
The strategic assessment will seek approval for a program of development under the:
- Environment Protection Act 2019 (which considers environmental, social, cultural, economic and health impacts and management regimes)
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (which considers impacts on matters of national environmental and heritage significance).
The assessment process will ensure all potential environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts are considered. Protecting the environment, including Darwin Harbour, is an important part of this work.
The strategic assessment considers the direct footprint of the precinct as well as all areas likely to be affected by project activities such as:
- land clearing
- air emissions, noise and waste
- water and energy use
- any impact on plants and animals, particularly threatened species
- disturbance from infrastructure such as roads, jetties and pipelines
- dredging and shipping in Darwin Harbour
- workforce planning, land use plans, access routes and impacts on the amenity and wellbeing of people living in the Greater Darwin Area
- cultural, economic, tourism and recreational uses of the land and seas.
The requirements of the strategic assessment process are set out in the below documents:
Strategic Assessment Agreement under section 146 of the EPBC Act
The Strategic Assessment Agreement PDF (1.1 MB) made under section 146 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) was signed by the NT Chief Minister on 18 March 2022 and the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment on 31 March 2022.
The Agreement sets out the requirements for development and endorsement of the Middle Arm Precinct and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that assesses the impacts of the Program on matters protected by the EPBC Act.
There is also a Variation to the Agreement PDF (5.1 MB) signed on 4 December 2023. The Agreement was varied to revise the maps of the Strategic Assessment area and reflect the name change of the Commonwealth Environment Department to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Terms of Reference for Strategic Assessment by an EIS under the EP Act (NT Terms of Reference)
The final NT Terms of Reference were issued by the NT EPA on 29 September 2022 following a period of public consultation and feedback that took place from 12 April – 10 June 2022.
The NT Terms of Reference detail the information that is required to be provided in the EIS to meet the requirements of the NT EP Act.
Terms of Reference for a Part 10 Strategic Assessment under the EPBC Act (Commonwealth)
The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment agreed to finalise the Commonwealth Terms of Reference PDF (140.3 KB) on 4 October 2023. This followed public consultation and feedback on the Commonwealth Terms of Reference between 11 May – 10 June 2022.
The finalised Commonwealth Terms of Reference detail the information that must be provided in the EIS as required under the EPBC Act.