Statutory Policy Review
EPA and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) are jointly reviewing the framework for statutory policies - State environment protection policies (SEPPs) and Waste Management Policies (WMPs) - under the Environment Protection Act 1970.
Statutory policies have been an essential, innovative and evolving element of Victoria's environment protection framework for more than 35 years. They set in law the standards for clean air, water, land, noise pollution and waste management.
The review is an opportunity to make sure our legal framework can respond to new challenges and approaches to environmental regulation and provide greater certainty and clarity for the community and business.
This review examines the statutory policy framework - its function, structure, content, effectiveness and management. It is not a review of individual statutory policies - this will happen separately over time.
Consultation
In July and early August 2011, EPA and DSE held workshops with a range of stakeholders.
In June 2011, a Discussion Paper 
(PDF 4.39MB) was released, with comments sought by 19 August 2011.
Below are submissions received as part of the review that the Authority is able to make public.
Comments from organisations
- ARUP (PDF 42KB)
- Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups (PDF 350KB)
- Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association – Victorian Branch (PDF 109KB)
- Australian Industry Group (PDF 442KB)
- City of Boroondara – Environmental Health (PDF 62KB)
- City of Greater Bendigo – Environmental Health (PDF 59KB)
- Construction Material Processors Association (PDF 83KB)
- Consulting Environmental Engineers (PDF 340KB)
- Department of Transport (PDF 2.44MB)
- Environment Defenders Office and Environment Victoria (PDF 156KB)
- Golder Associates (PDF 59KB)
- Goulburn-Murray Rural Water Corporation (PDF 53KB)
- Knox City Council – Environmental Health (PDF 209KB)
- Melbourne Water (PDF 170KB)
- Metropolitan Waste Management Group (PDF 140KB)
- Mornington Peninsula Shire – Environmental Health (PDF 167KB)
- Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association (PDF 1.14MB)
- Rural City of Wangaratta – Environmental Health (PDF 502KB)
- URS (PDF 83KB)
- Victorian Catchment Management Council (PDF 1.91MB)
- Victorian Local Governance Association (PDF 301KB)
- Victorian Water Industry Association (PDF 483KB)
- Yarra Valley Water (PDF 383KB)
Comments from individuals
- Ms Jani Breider (PDF 63KB)
- Mr Garrett Hall (PDF 288KB)
- Professor Robert Joy (PDF 184KB)
Next steps
The project team is now working to produce a final report and an implementation plan. It will set out any changes we plan to make to the statutory policy framework, and our timelines for these reforms and for the sequencing of individual policy reviews.
Questions about the review should be sent to statpolicy@epa.vic.gov.au.
