Key NSW environment act celebrates 25 years
This year we marked 25 years since the groundbreaking Protection of the Environment Operations Act commenced in NSW.
On 1 July, 1999 the framework for environmental protection in NSW was transformed when several pieces of legislation covering the regulation of air, noise, water and waste pollution were integrated.
A landmark day for environmental law in Australia, the start of the Act marked a significant shift in the state’s approach to environmental regulation and accountability.
For the first time in the state’s history, fragmented environmental licensing systems were unified under one piece of legislation, ensuring industries such as manufacturing, mining, waste management and chemical processing were regulated as part of the same framework and by the same regulatory body.
The Act also granted the NSW EPA enhanced powers as the lead agency responsible for administering and enforcing the new laws, including authority to issue a range of environment protection notices and stronger powers to investigate individuals and corporations accused of violating environmental law.
NSW EPA Director Legislation and Legal Advice, Melinda Murray, said the POEO Act had been instrumental in holding polluters accountable and reducing both pollution and the environmental impacts of certain industries.
“Reflecting on a quarter of a century since this legislation was first introduced, it’s clear that it has played a critical role in helping us tackle environmental challenges head on,” Ms Murray said.
“Close to 1,500 environmental crimes have been prosecuted by the EPA under the Act and Regulations since 1999, with very significant fines being imposed on some wrongdoers. In other cases, individuals have even been sentenced to imprisonment for breaking the law and polluting the environment.
“Before the Act commenced in 1999, we were operating under a series of disparate laws and were ill-equipped to deal with the evolving environmental situation of the 90s and beyond.
“When the new laws were introduced into Parliament, former Minister for the Environment, Pam Allan described us as having to conduct our important work with “one hand tied behind our back”.
“Since then, our investigative powers have become the benchmark for regulatory authorities around the country and have ensured we’re able to do our best to safeguard the NSW environment for generations to come.”