21-524: The Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is Victoria’s environmental regulator. EPA is an independent statutory authority , established in 1971 under the Environment Protection Act 1970 (EP Act). EPA's role is to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of pollution and waste on Victorians and their environment. Established under the Environment Protection Act 1970 , EPA is the world's third oldest environmental regulatory agency . It
42-424: A body corporate . '. A statutory authority is a generic term for an authorisation by Parliament given to a person or group of people to exercise specific powers. A statutory authority can be established as a corporate Commonwealth entity or a non-corporate Commonwealth entity. A statutory authority may also be a body within a Commonwealth entity, exercising the powers given by Parliament but administratively part of
63-566: A Ministerial Advisory Committee to carry out an independent inquiry into the EPA. In 2016, the Independent Inquiry into the EPA report was released finding that litter fine revenue accounted for "just under five per cent of the EPA’s operating budget". The report recommended that the EPA no longer retain revenue from litter fines as retaining revenue is a "clear conflict of interest and aligns poorly with
84-524: A remedial notice requires the recipient to undertake works at a cost above a certain level, the power to approve the remedial notice is delegated to specific EPA managers and executives from EPA's Regional Services Directorate, and the CEO. The EPA has a litter program to enable members of the public to report littering from vehicles to the EPA. In 2015, the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water appointed
105-399: A risk of harm to human health or to the environment has a duty to minimise those risks so far as is reasonably practicable. Currently, EPA sits within the portfolio of the minister of Environment Hon. Steve Dimopoulos . EPA maintains seven distinct regional offices designed so that the authority can respond effectively to local issues and events. As of December 2019 these regions are: EPA
126-560: A state-owned corporation as "a statutory authority that has corporate status". Statutory authorities at the State or Territory level are established under corresponding State or Territory laws. Each statutory authority tends to have its own enabling legislation, or originating act , even if it was established before the relevant over-riding legislation. For example, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
147-592: Is in charge of handling odour pollution complaints and giving advice and guidelines to businesses on that matter. In 2021, the West Metro Region, the Southern Metro Region, and the Northern Region received the highest number of odour complaints. In 2023, EPA took Stevensons Brothers Industries (SBI) Landfill to court claiming that the company failed to fulfil their general environmental duty due to
168-534: Is in charge of monitoring the air quality through the AirWatch program and checks the presence and concentration of six pollutants: within 19 sites across Victoria and advises citizens on air quality and strategies to manage its impact. EPA monitors the water quality over 36 beaches across Port Phillip bay daily and along the Yarra River . General recommendations include: EPA is in charge of evaluating and improving
189-544: The EPA’s mission. The availability of these receipts may distort the regulator’s incentives and encourage it to dedicate a disproportionate share of its limited resources to a relatively minor environmental hazard." Since 2006, EPA compensates its carbon emission to become carbon neutral. Every year, it purchases offsets meeting the National Carbon Offset Standard . EPA's former headquarters' building in Carlton
210-465: The authority) and a number. Just as with laws enacted by Parliament, all laws made by a statutory authority must be published in the Government Gazette. The Parliament of Australia , or a State or Territory Parliament , will delegate its authority to a statutory authority for several reasons; The power to enact legislation has been delegated by Australian Parliaments (State and/or Federal) in
231-532: The community and EPA duty holders, such as EPA licensed and non-licensed businesses, with an easy-to-understand summary of the role and powers of authorised officers. EPA informants are authorised officers who lead and conduct major investigations undertaken by EPA. As part of this role, informants: Managers and team leaders responsible for licensing, works approvals, permitting, notifiable chemicals and planning referrals, are delegated to decide on applications for approvals and to respond to planning referrals. Where
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#1732854788552252-549: The entity." A statutory corporation is defined in the government glossary as a "statutory body that is a body corporate, including an entity created under section 87 of the PGPA Act" (i.e. a statutory authority may be a statutory corporation). An earlier definition describes a statutory corporation as "a statutory authority that is a body corporate", and the New South Wales Government 's Land Registry Services defines
273-470: The landfill's continued odour impact on nearby residents. Noise pollution may be reported to Victoria police who can then alert EPA. In February 2024, two persons were charged in Court by EPA for driving noisy cars and failing to get their vehicles tested and contravening to a Vehicle Testing Notice. In January 2023, EPA investigated an oil spill that was effecting the water of St Kilda Beach, Victoria and
294-550: The limits under which the discharges could be allowed while guaranteeing safety levels. In July 2021 the Environment Protection Amendment Act 2018 came into effect, transforming the structure under which EPA works that was established under the Environment Protection Act 2017 . The cornerstone of the new Act is the general environmental duty, which states that all persons (i.e. legal entities, including corporations) who are undertaking any activity which poses
315-620: The marine water quality, check for pollution and risks on the Port Phillip Bay , Western Port and Gippsland Lake . As an independent regulator, EPA works with industries, governments and resources managers to develop legal frameworks, set standards about marine quality and indicators, monitor compliance with the law and enforce it. Since 1996, EPA has been monitoring the marine water quality daily using their own vessels and working on mapping out environmental conditions through independent sampling systems installed on ships like ferries. EPA
336-530: The neighboring Elwood Beach. Swimmers were advised to avoid going into the water due to an oily substance that was found in the water. The organizations was also investigating reports of dead fish turning up on the beach and whether it was related to the oil. EPA is in charge of making all Victorian citizens understand their legal obligations towards the environment and provide advice for people to make conscious choices regarding their general environmental duty . The EP Act 1970 allows EPA to appoint individuals to
357-659: The relevant country or state, sometimes by being empowered or delegated to set rules (for example regulations or statutory instruments ) in their field. They are typically found in countries which are governed by a British style of parliamentary democracy such as the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries like Australia , Canada , India and New Zealand . They are also found in Israel and elsewhere. Statutory authorities may also be statutory corporations , if created as
378-507: The role of authorised officer. The appointed officers' role is to ensure that businesses, government and individuals comply with the EP Act. They do this by: EPA has authorised officers working in specialised areas such as motor vehicles and litter, who only exercise powers specific to their roles. See EPA authorisations: roles and powers policy (Publication 1478) for more information. EPA Authorised Officers brochure (Publication 1422) provides
399-419: Was awarded with a 5 star NABERS rating and a 6 Star Green Star Office Design. The building is recognisable thanks to its green facade, and got significant upgrades in 2008 including lighting, rain water harvest and a co-generation plant. Statutory authority A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law ( statute ) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of
420-533: Was established in 1949 by the Science and Industry Research Act , but it has since come under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 as legislation covering statutory authorities has evolved. Laws made by statutory authorities are usually referred to as regulations. They are not cited in the same fashion as an act of parliament, but usually with specific initials (depending on
441-489: Was established to address environmental problems across the state in a systematic and integrated way, bringing together a range of Victorian legislation and powers to be administered by a central authority. A three membered EPA was launched in 1971 additionally to a seventeen members Environment Protection Council. In 1973, EPA started assuming full power over the control of air, water and land pollution and started granting licences for waste discharges. These licences stated
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