WA Upper House passes EPA Bill
The Western Australian Upper House has passed a raft of amendments to modernise the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), paving the way for increased environmental protection while stimulating the economy and creating jobs.
Reforms in the Amendment Act include streamlining the environmental impact assessment process, improving the pathway for regulation of native vegetation clearing, improving the efficiency of regulating emissions and discharges, modernising and improving investigation and enforcement powers, and increasing penalties for certain environmental offences.
Amendments have been made to ensure native vegetation clearing provisions are efficient, targeted, flexible and transparent while ensuring the protection of areas with important environmental value, said Minister for Environment Stephen Dawson.
“These amendments represent the most significant improvements to Western Australia's EPA since it was introduced in 1986.