Prescribed activities

Eligibility criteria and standard conditions

Prescibed ERAs are environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) that are prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008. Codes of environmental compliance can apply to ERAs that are carried out in accordance with well established, standard practices.

Each code is a document that contains the standard environmental conditions for an activity and criteria that will determine when (and to what extent) a code applies to an activity. The code also contains advisory notes on action that may be taken to assist in reaching compliance with the standard environmental conditions.

Anyone operating under a code is required to have an environmental authority before commencing operations - for more information go to www.business.qld.gov.au.

Approved documents containing eligibility criteria and standard conditions are listed in Schedule 3 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008. Click on the links below for more information about these documents.

• Certain aspects of extractive and screening activities (ERA 16) - Version 7
• Certain aspects of extractive and screening activities (ERA 16) - Version 6
• Certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57) - Version 4
• Certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57) - Version 3
• Certain aspects of sewage treatment activities (ERA 63) - Version 1

Certain aspects of extractive and screening activities (ERA 16) - Version 7

This version applies to anyone who meets all the criteria listed for the activity and applies for an environmental authority from 31 March 2013.

This version also applies to anyone who was operating under this code with a registration certificate from 9 November 2012 to 30 March 2013.

Commencement date:

9 November 2012

Eligibility criteria:

1. The activity applies to the extraction and screening of material:
   
   
   •  Outside of a wild river high preservation area, special floodplain  management area or floodplain
       management area, for the construction or maintenance of rail transport infrastructure and roads.
   
   •  Within a wild river high preservation area, special floodplain management area or floodplain
      management area, for the maintenance of existing rail transport infrastructure and roads.
             
2. The quantity of material extracted or screened at any one site does not exceed 100000 tonnes per year and the maximum site does not exceed 1.5 hectares and in a wild river area must not exceed 200m in length.
   
3. In a wild river high preservation area, special flood plain management area or flood plain management area, the activity does not occur where a suitable alternative site exists outside of a high preservation area, special flood plain management area or flood plain management area and within 10 km of the place where the material is to be used.
   
4. There is no intentional or negligent release of contaminants to waters from the activity.
   
5. The activity does not include the use of explosives.
   
6. The activity occurs in daylight hours and between the hours of 6am and 6pm.
   
7. The activity does not occur within 1 kilometre of a sensitive place unless agreed to in writing by those residing at the relevant sensitive place. Where there are no residents at the sensitive place written consent must be obtained from the landholder.
   
8. Outside of a wild river area, the activity does not occur within 100 metres of any watercourse, wetland or spring.
   
9. In a wild river area the activity does not occur within:
   
   •  100m of a watercourse, wetland or spring, 10m of a drainage feature and 200m from another site within
       a preservation area only;
   
   •  100m of a watercourse, wetland or spring, 25m of a drainage feature and 500m from another site within
       both a preservation area and a floodplain management area;
   
   •  200m of a watercourse, wetland or spring, 25m of a drainage feature and 500m from another site within
       a high preservation area only;
   
   •  200m of a watercourse, wetland or spring, 50m of a drainage feature and 500m from another site within
       both a high preservation area and a floodplain management area;
   
   •  200m of a watercourse, wetland or spring, 50m of a drainage feature and 500m from another site within
       a special floodplain management area.
   
10. Where the activity is to be undertaken within a wild river high preservation area, special flood plain management area or flood plain management area, a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland or equivalent qualified person must certify that there is no suitable material available outside the high preservation area, special flood plain management area or flood plain management area and within 10 km of the place where the material is to be used.

Certain aspects of extractive and screening activities (ERA 16) - Version 6

This version applies to anyone who was operating under this code with a registration certificate before 9 November 2012 .

Under criterion 4, this document cannot be used for new developments within a wild river area. However criterion 4 is met if the site of an existing operation becomes part of a newly declared wild river area. This is in accordance with the intent of section 17 of the Wild Rivers Act 2005.

Commencement date:

10 June 2011

Eligibility criteria:

1. The activity applies to the extraction and screening of material for the construction or maintenance of rail transport infrastructure and roads.
2. The quantity of material extracted or screened at any one site is between 5000 and 100000 tonnes per year and the maximum area of disturbance is 1.5 hectares.
3. There is no intentional or negligent release of contaminants to waters from the activity.
4. The activity will not be carried out in:
   - a protected area; or
   - in a Wild River Area as defined in the Wild Rivers Act 2005.
5. The activity does not include the use of explosives.
6. The activity occurs in daylight hours and between the hours of 6am and 6pm.
7. The activity does not occur within 1 kilometre of a sensitive place.
8. The activity does not occur within 100 metres of any watercourse, wetland or spring.

Certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57) - Version 4

This version applies to anyone who meets all the criteria listed for the activity and applies for an environmental authority from 31 March 2013.

This version also applies to anyone who was operating under this code with a registration certificate from 9 November 2012 to 30 March 2013.

Commencement date:

9 November 2012

Eligibility criteria:

1. Regulated waste is transported by road vehicles only (not by train, boat, aircraft, pipeline or other means).

Certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57) - Version 3

Code of environmental compliance for certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57) - Version 3 - EM130 (PDF, 435K)*

This version applies to anyone who was operating under this code with a registration certificate before 9 November 2012 .

Commencement date:

1 July 2006

Eligibility criteria:

1. Regulated waste is transported by road vehicles only (not by train, boat, aircraft, pipeline or other means).

Certain aspects of sewage treatment activities (ERA 63) - Version 1

This version applies to anyone who meets all the criteria listed for the activity and applies for an environmental authority from 31 March 2013.

This version also applies to anyone who was operating under this code with a registration certificate from 9 November 2012 to 30 March 2013.

Commencement date:

9 November 2012

Eligibility criteria:

1. Operating a sewage pumping station with a total design capacity of more than 40kL in an hour.

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