Environmental impact assessments for coordinated projects

The assessment process

When a project has complex approvals, significant impacts, strategic importance or relates to substantial infrastructure it can be assessed to be declared a coordinated project.

At the time of declaration, the Coordinator-General will also determine the type of assessment required:

• an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Impact Assessment Report (IAR) or
• that environmental effects of the project do not require assessment through an EIS.

The Coordinator-General oversees the assessment process, tailored to the specific nature and scale of each proposed project. For larger projects, this involves an EIS. Smaller, lower-risk projects may require an IAR. Which one applies is determined by the Coordinator-General, based on the application.

Where an environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is required, a ‘project proponent’ engages with the Office of the Coordinator-General to work through the development of an EIA and the steps of the process.

The advantages of the process and being declared a coordinated project includes our experienced team providing:

• information, insights and advice about the assessment process
• a coordinated approach and guidance on local, state and Australian Government (if required) approvals to minimise timeframes
• practical solutions to project issues.

The process also works to ensure potential environmental, cultural and social impacts are identified, assessed and managed effectively.

Find out more about coordinated projects – what they are, the benefits of getting a coordinated project declaration, and find current and completed coordinated projects.

Steps for a coordinated project assessment process

1. Pre-lodgement meeting
2. Apply for a coordinated project declaration
3. Coordinated project declaration
4. Prepare Terms of Reference (TOR) for EIS
5. Prepare draft EIS or IAR
6. Consultation
7. Evaluation of draft EIS or IAR and submissions
8. Provide revised draft EIS or IAR (if required)
9. Evaluation report on final EIS or IAR released
10. Application for a project change

1. Pre-lodgement meeting

A free pre-lodgement meeting is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory. It’s an opportunity to discuss in detail the proposed project, get information and advice about our role and to help shape an application. Ideally, this meeting should be held at least 4 weeks before lodging an application.

Topics that can be discussed include:

• the assessment process, including timeframes, fees and approvals - including any alternative approval pathways
• EIS or IAR assessment pathways
• content of initial advice statement
• requirements of financial and technical capability statement and the pre-feasibility assessment
• terms of reference for the EIS
• criteria under section 27 of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (SDPWO Act)
• expected date of the final investment decision
• high-risk, sensitive or contentious matters or impacts
• possible referral to an independent scientific committee – when a project may have significant impact on water resources, like a coal or coal seam gas project. You can find out more from the:
  • National Partnership Agreement on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development
  • Queensland protocol for referral of projects to the Independent Expert Scientific Committee
• possible referral of project to the Australian Government - the Australian Environment Minister (the Minister) when a project would potentially impact something of national environmental significance.

Where a proposed project is referred to the Australian Government the Minister determines if a project includes a ‘controlled action’ and what is required. The Office of the Coordinator-General will advise on this process and how to navigate it.

Read more about the:

• Queensland Bilateral Agreement
• EPBC Act - Environment Assessment Process fact sheet
• Matters of national environmental significance Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Chapter 2, Part 3.)

Important to note:

• a pre-lodgement meeting does not pre-empt the final decision on an application
• there’s no obligation to lodge an application for a coordinated project declaration after this meeting.

To request a pre-lodgement meeting call us on 1800 001 048 or email cpdinfo@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au.

2. Apply for a coordinated project declaration

Applications must be in writing and include:

1. an initial advice statement – scoping the size, nature, and potential impacts of a proposed project and measures to mitigate them. It helps determine whether a project should be declared a coordinated project and the level of assessment required (i.e. EIS or IAR)
2. a statement regarding financial and technical capability to complete the EIS or IAR process
3. a pre-feasibility assessment of the technical and commercial feasibility of the project.

For detailed information on the requirements for an application refer to the Guideline - Application requirements for coordinated project declaration. It includes requirements, a detailed suggested structure for the initial advice statement, and what to include with EIS and IAR capability statements and pre-feasibility assessments.

Fees are payable with the application. Refer to the Overview of fees for the Office of the Coordinator-General and the State Development and Public Works Organisation Regulation 2020 for more.

3. Coordinated project declaration

Applications are assessed against the criteria for coordinated projects. In making the declaration decision, the Coordinator-General must have regard to:

• detailed information about the project given by the proponent in an initial advice statement
• relevant planning schemes or policy frameworks of local, state or Australian Government
• relevant state policies and government priorities
• a pre-feasibility assessment of the project, including how it satisfies an identified need or demand
• the capacity of the proponent to undertake and complete the required environmental impact assessment for the project
• any other matter considered relevant.

If a proposed project is declared a coordinated project, the Office of the Coordinator-General will provide a coordinated approach to help navigate local, state, and Australian Government approvals (if required).

Coordinated project declarations are published in the Queensland Government Gazette.

4. Prepare terms of reference for EIS

A draft TOR is prepared by our office for coordinated projects requiring an EIS. The TOR set out the matters the project proponent must address when preparing the EIS. Typically, public consultation is invited before the TOR is finalised.

The draft TOR is finalised as soon as practicable after consultation  closes. If the draft TOR is not publicly notified, we finalise it as soon as practicable after advising that an EIS is required.

5. Prepare draft EIS or IAR

The project declaration specifies if an EIS or IAR is required, and the project proponent prepares the draft.

Typically, if a project may have significant environmental impacts, an EIS is required. It is a detailed assessment. If the project doesn’t require assessment through the EIS process, an IAR is required. It is a streamlined ‘fit for purpose’ assessment process for well-defined and low-medium risk projects.

Scope of an EIS

The TOR sets out the scope of an EIS.

An EIS details the project's potential environmental, social, and economic impacts.

• Environmental impacts – including a description of environment, potential impacts, and how it’s proposed to manage them. Refer to the guideline for preparing an environmental impact statement ( 419.5 KB) for detailed information.
• Economic impacts – including an economic impact assessment. Refer to the Economic impact assessment guideline ( 400.2 KB) for further details.
• Social impacts – including a social impact assessment for resource projects, focusing on potential social impacts on communities. Refer to the social impact assessment guideline ( 740.6 KB).

Scope of an IAR

Our office sets the scope of an IAR. It has no formal terms of reference.

An IAR is focused mostly on the project’s:

• locations that may be subject to adverse impacts if not appropriately managed
• potential impacts that are either uncertain, or
• proposed mitigation measures that depart from accepted management practices or standard conditions for that industry.

6. Consultation

The community, local councils and government agencies are invited to make submissions on a draft EIS. Under most circumstances, submissions are also invited on a draft IAR. This step helps ensure that those potentially impacted or involved have an opportunity to have their say.

Government advisory agencies and the public may also be invited to comment or make submissions on:

• draft TOR for the EIS – read the Fact sheet - Have your say on a draft EIS
• revised draft EIS or IAR – read the Fact sheet - Have your say on a revised draft EIS
• applications for project change – read the Fact sheet - Have your say on an application for project change.

Our office uses public notices in local, regional and state newspapers to invite submissions. Where a ‘controlled action’ has been identified by the Australian Government public notices in national newspapers are also used.

Explore current consultations.