Environment and Resource Management

Chapter 4 activities

Chapter 4 activities are environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) other than mining or petroleum activities. Codes of environmental compliance can apply to those chapter 4 activities - that are carried out subject to well established, standardised routine practices and have been demonstrated to be able to operate under standard conditions for all circumstances, with clear requirements for operators.

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.

The environmentally relevant activity (ERA) component of development covered by a code is self-assessable development under the Integrated Planning Act 1997. While a development approval is not required for the ERA component, it may be required for other aspects of the development.

Anyone operating under a code is required to have a registration certificate before commencing operations - for more information see the information sheet Requirement to become a registered operator. The fees for registration certificate applications are listed in the information sheet Summary of fees - environmentally relevant activities.
Approved codes are listed in Schedule 10 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008.

Refer to the Information sheet: Carrying out an ERA subject to a code of environmental compliance for more information on codes for chapter 4 activities.
The following codes apply to new operators who meet all the criteria listed for the code from the commencement date, and from one year after the commencement date for anyone operating under a development approval that meets all the criteria for that code:


Code of environmental compliance for certain aspects of extractive and screening activities (ERA 16)-Version 2.

Commencement date:

2 June 2006

Criteria:

1. The activity applies to the extraction of material for the construction and maintenance of roads damaged as a direct result of flooding in the following local government areas:

  • Aurukun Community Council
  • Burke Shire Council
  • Carpentaria Shire Council
  • Cook Shire Council
  • Hope Vale Community Council
  • Kowanyama Community Council
  • Lockhart River Community Council
  • Mapoon Community Council
  • Napranum Community Council
  • Northern Peninsula Area region
  • Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council;
  • Pormpuraaw Community Council
  • Wujal Wujal Community Council; and
  • the part of the local government area of Tablelands Regional Council that was, immediately before 15 March 2008, the local government area of Mareeba Shire Council.

2. The administering authority for the ERA is the department.
3. The amount of material extracted from a site is less than 100 000 t per year (i.e. the extraction activities are classed as threshold 2(a) or 2(b) of ERA 16 in schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 and as summarised in the code).
4. There is no release of contaminants to waters from the extraction activities.
5. The extraction activities will not be carried out in a category A environmentally sensitive area.

Code of environmental compliance for certain aspects of mobile and temporary abrasive blasting (ERA 17)-Version 2

Commencement date:

1 July 2006

Criteria:

1. The ERA is mobile and temporary, as defined in schedule 4 of the EP Act, and the administration of the ERA is not devolved to local government under the EP Reg.
2. If abrasive blasting activities are carried out over water, on land below highest astronomical tide or on land subject to a 1:10 year flood regime, the activity is restricted to fixed items of marine equipment such as jetties, piers, bridges and gantries.

Code of environmental compliance for certain aspects of regulated waste transport (ERA 57)-Version 2

Commencement date:

1 July 2006

Criteria:

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

Code of environmental compliance for certain aspects of mobile and temporary motor vehicle workshops (ERA 28)-Version 1

Commencement date:

1 July 2006

Criteria:

1. The ERA does not involve car detailing or washing.
2. The ERA does not involve spray painting.
3. The ERA is mobile and temporary, as defined in Schedule 4 of the EP Act, and the administration of the ERA is not devolved to local government under the EP Reg.

Additional note:

This code was developed for certain aspects of mobile and temporary motor vehicle workshops. This was ERA 28 under the Environmental Protection Regulation 1998. The mobile and temporary aspects of the motor vehicle workshop are not included in the motor vehicle workshop ERA (ERA 21) in the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008, which commenced on 1 January 2009.
The code continues to apply to existing registered operators who were operating under the code until the first anniversary day after 1 January 2009. Registered operators will not need their registration certificate for the old ERA 28 after that anniversary day.

Last updated: 20 March 2009

Codes of environmental compliance

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