Antarctic Environmental Protection Regulations

Marginal note:Assessment of impacts of activities

• 14 (1) The preliminary environmental evaluation that must be included with an application for a permit must

  • (a) indicate whether, in the opinion of the applicant, the activities to which the permit is to relate will have more than a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment; and

  • (b) contain enough details of the impacts of those activities on that environment to allow the Minister to assess whether the activities will likely have more than a minor or transitory impact on that environment.

• Marginal note:What must be included

  (2) The preliminary environmental evaluation must include

  • (a) a description of each proposed activity that includes the purpose, nature, location, duration and frequency of the activity;

  • (b) a consideration of alternatives to the proposed activities, including the alternative of not proceeding, and the consequences of those alternatives;

  • (c) a description of any environmental impacts that the proposed activities may have, including a description of predicted cumulative impacts in the light of existing and planned activities;

  • (d) a description of the initial environmental reference state with which predicted changes are to be compared and a prediction of the future environmental reference state in the absence of the proposed activities;

  • (e) a description of the methods and data used to predict the environmental impacts of the proposed activities;

  • (f) an estimation of the nature, extent, duration and intensity of the likely direct environmental impacts of the proposed activities;

  • (g) a consideration of possible indirect or secondary environmental impacts of the proposed activities;

  • (h) an identification of measures, including monitoring programs, that

    • (i) could be taken to minimize or mitigate the environmental impacts of the proposed activities and to detect unforeseen impacts, and

    • (ii) could provide an early warning of any adverse effects of the proposed activities and could deal promptly and effectively with accidents;

  • (i) an identification of the unavoidable environmental impacts of the proposed activities;

  • (j) a consideration of the effects of the proposed activities on the conduct of scientific research and on other existing uses and values;

  • (k) an identification of gaps in knowledge and uncertainties encountered in compiling the information relating to the evaluation;

  • (l) a non-technical summary of the information provided;

  • (m) the name and address of the person or organization that prepared the evaluation; and

  • (n) any other information relevant to the proposed activities.