Code of Practice: Environment
The Code of Practice: Environment (Environment Code) is supported by the amended Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016 (Environment Regulations).
The Environment Code must be considered and addressed in any environment management plan submitted to the minister for assessment and approval, and it is applicable to all regulated activities conducted in relation to both conventional and unconventional petroleum exploration, appraisal, development and production.
Read the code on the Northern Territory Government website.
About the Environment Code
The Environment Code provides a standardised framework for managing key environmental impacts and risks from common petroleum activities by:
- specifying mandatory environmental outcomes that must be achieved to meet the objectives of the Environment Regulations,
- identifying common petroleum regulated activities, their environmental aspects and the resulting key environmental impacts and risk sources, and
- mandating control measures and environmental performance standards to mitigate key environmental impacts and risk sources so that environmental outcomes are achieved
Section 3 in the Environment Code details a step-by-step guide on how to use the Environment Code. The flowchart describes the key elements of the Environment Code and environment management plan (EMP) content and how the supporting supplementary management plans and alternative pathways work.
Get the flowchart PDF (663.5 KB).
The environment code can be accessed on the Energy document library.
Environmental outcomes, environmental performance standards and mandatory controls
Seventeen environmental outcomes are set out in the Environment Code and collectively they describe the mandatory outcomes industry must meet when conducting regulated activities. Interest holders must commit to these environmental outcomes in their EMPs where relevant to the regulated activities.
The Environment Code outlines mandatory control measures, and the applicable environmental performance standard that demonstrates the control is in place, and these must be implemented and included in the EMP.
An environmental outcome must be linked with measurement criteria, control measures and environmental performance standards to show a coherent implementation strategy.
Supplementary management plans
Supplementary management plans (SUPPs) are subject-specific operational management plans that do not form part of the EMP but are a requirement. SUPPs are a new addition to the petroleum regulation framework. Division 6A of the Environment Regulations and section 1.7 of the code set out the requirements for SUPPs. Under the code, weeds, bushfires and cultural heritage matters will require a SUPP.
SUPPs provide flexibility so that, where appropriate, one SUPP can apply across multiple EMPs and sites, and a SUPP may be revised to reflect operational requirements. For example, an interest holder can develop one weed management SUPP to apply across all operations within the same region, rather than having separate weed management plans for each of their EMPs.
SUPPs must be certified by an independent qualified person to confirm that the plan meets the requirements of the environment code before activities commence.
The department will monitor compliance with SUPPs in the same way it monitors compliance with EMPs and may take enforcement action where an interest holder does not comply with its obligations.
Alternative control pathways
Under the Environment Code, interest holders can propose alternative activities not captured in the code or propose alternative control measures to a mandatory control in the code. Interest holders must provide a detailed description and undertake a full risk assessment of the proposed alternative. The required environmental outcomes must be achieved, and risks remain as low as reasonably practicable and acceptable.
This allows an interest holder flexibility to undertake activities that may not be in the Environment Code while also ensuring that the environmental risk is appropriately assessed and sufficient controls implemented. The department is developing additional guidance to clarify the alternative assessment process.
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