Checklist · Energy, Resources & Mining
EPBC significant-impact self-assessment before a referral
The four questions in the 2013 Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 for deciding whether an action should be referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
- Kind
- Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Where it applies
- Australia
- AI use
- Yellow You and the tool draft together, with you directing. You check every statement you rely on.
- Law stated as at
- 22 October 2026
- Status
- Maintained. Checked on 22 October 2026 against the 2 authorities it cites, for Australia.
- Version
- 1
- Source
- Written for this library
When to use it
Use when a project may affect a matter of national environmental significance and someone must decide whether to refer it. The species-by-species criteria in the guideline are applied from the guideline, not copied here.
Used for these tasks
Each task page says how far AI may help with the task and what the lawyer must review.
How AI may be used
AI may list the matters named in a search report against the nine matters in the guideline and park the four questions; the lawyer decides whether a significant impact is likely and whether to refer.
AI may
- Enter survey results already on the file against each matter of national environmental significance
- Break the project into construction, operation and closure so the broadest scope is visible
- List proposed avoidance measures and mark whether their effectiveness is demonstrated
AI must not
- Must not decide that an impact is not significant
- Must not treat a mitigation measure as removing the need to refer unless its effectiveness is established
- Must not lodge a referral
The lawyer checks
- The action is described at its broadest scope, including related activities and indirect impacts
- Each matter that may be present is tested against the significant-impact criteria in the guideline for that matter
- Uncertainty about a serious or irreversible impact is not treated as a reason not to refer
- Any prior-authorisation or continuing-use exemption is taken from the current Act, not assumed
Method: how the Green, Yellow and Red levels are decided. This is guidance for planning, not legal advice.
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