The Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia (EPA) is a statutory authority within the Government of Western Australia, established on 1 January 1972, which acts as the primary provider of independent environmental advice to the government. Since 27 November 2009 it has been supported administratively by the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA), which was amalgamated with the Department of Environment Regulation and the Department of Water to form the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on 1 July 2017. It operates under the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EPA provides advice to the Minister for Environment through various reports, as well as releasing statements to the public detailing significant environmental matters. Its role also includes formulation of environmental protection policies.
On 27 November 2009 the Western Australian Government formed a dedicated department to support the EPA, known as the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA), in order to provide the Authority with greater independence and control of its policies and processes.[1]
On 1 July 2017, OEPA was amalgamated with the Department of Environment Regulation and the Department of Water to form the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.[2]
The Authority consists of five members: a full-time chair, a part-time deputy chair, and three other part-time members.[3] Members of the EPA board are not public servants. They are appointed by the Governor of Western Australia on the recommendation of the Minister for Environment. Unusually for a government authority, under the Environmental Protection Act 1986, neither the Authority nor its chairman are subject to the direction of the Minister.[citation needed]
The OEPA provides support services such as negotiating with stakeholders and proponents, technical advice regarding the formulation of policies, research and formulation of reports, and monitoring of project implementation.[citation needed]
The Authority operates and has statutory powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and as amended by the Environmental Protection Amendment Bill 2002. These are, as defined in Section 16 of the 2002 Amendment Bill:[citation needed]