Abzeco can assist you with determining and meeting your Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) requirements. Our team is experienced in undertaking EPBC impact site assessments, EPBC referrals, and calculating and sourcing/establishing EPBC Environmental Offsets.
If a project has been assessed as significantly impacting an Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Matter of National Environmental Significance (MNES) such as a federally listed threatened species or vegetation community then an EPBC referral and federal environmental offset will generally be required.
Abzeco can provide you with the full range of services required to manage an EPBC referral and/or sourcing or establishing EPBC Environmental Offsets including:
- Impact site assessments and reports;
- Offset calculations for EPBC MNES;
- Preparation, submission and management of EPBC referrals and required advertising;
- Sourcing a suitable offset site to meet EPBC requirements including:
- A first-party offset site (on property you own) or
- A third party offset site (on someone else’s property).
- Negotiation with stakeholders including regulatory authorities;
- Preparation of Feasible, realistic, achievable Environmental Offset Management Plans to meet EPBC standards; and
- Securing EPBC offset sites using one of the two permitted methods in Victoria:
- An agreement with the Secretary to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) under section 69 of the Conservation Forest and Lands Act 1987 (Section 69 Agreement); or
- An agreement with Trust for Nature to register an offset covenant under the Victorian Conservation Trust Act 1972 (Trust for Nature Offset Covenant); On ground on-ground works to implement Offset Management Plans.
- On-ground works to implement EPBC Environmental Management Plans including;
- Salvage and translocation of threatened plants;
- Revegetation and restoration
- Pest plant animal management
- Management of other threats such as erosion.
- Preparation of bespoke annual reporting templates;
- Undertaking annual site monitoring and reporting; and
- Project management.