Section 11 — Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Simplified outline of this Chapter

The following is a simplified outline of this Chapter: This Chapter provides a basis for the Minister to decide whether an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on certain aspects of the environment should proceed. It does so by prohibiting a person from taking an action without the Minister having given approval or decided that approval is not needed. (Part 9 deals with the giving of approval.) Approval is not needed to take an action if any of the following declare that the action does not need approval: (a) a bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and the State or Territory in which the action is taken; (b) a declaration by the Minister. Also, an action does not need approval if it is taken in accordance with Regional Forest Agreements or it is for a purpose for which, under a zoning plan for a zone made under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, the zone may be used or entered without permission.