Planning and environment documents submitted

Northern Water has lodged planning and environmental documentation under state and commonwealth legislation. Submission of this documentation will trigger formal decisions by the relevant Ministers regarding the approvals pathway for the project.

Northern Water conveyed in the documents the potential social, environmental and economic significance of the project.

An initial Crown Development application (DA) has been submitted under state legislation, triggering a decision to be made by the Minister for Planning (SA) to determine whether the project should be an "Impact Assessed" project (requiring an EIS) which would necessitate formal project assessment requirements.

A referral to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has also been submitted under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (commonly known as an 'EPBC referral').

In due course DCCEEW will undertake public consultation on the referral, prior to the Minister for the Environment and Water (Cwth) determining if further assessment is required, and the level of that assessment.

Further updates will be made as these processes progress through government, including future opportunities for formal consultation as part of these approval processes.

While the formal process is progressing, the project team continues to engage with community and stakeholders about what is important to them.