Incomplete surveys for environmental impact assessments jeopardise threatened species recovery

Abstract

Australia’s biodiversity is declining despite two decades of protection for threatened species under the nation’s key environmental legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Among its main functions, the EPBC Act frames the assessment and approval of new developments. However, little research has been conducted into compliance with policy guidelines under the EPBC Act that outline minimum assessment requirements where projects potentially impact threatened species. Focusing on the Endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), we analysed ‘referrals’ (a required preliminary impact (self-)assessment) of proposed projects in the species’ range between 2007–2010 and 2016 onwards (i.e. before and after species-specific assessment guidelines released), to determine (1) the level of compliance with Commonwealth assessment guidelines, and (2) consistency in the type and amount of survey effort between the two time periods. Of the 33 referrals submitted after 2016 that we examined, only six conducted the minimum ‘reconnaissance survey’ requirement comprising a multi-faceted field data collection protocol. The types of surveys conducted also differed, albeit marginally, among referrals submitted between the two periods. Despite our findings of variation in survey approach (both periods), and the overwhelming failure to comply with minimum survey requirements (post-2016 only), all the projects we examined were approved under the EPBC Act without the need for further assessment. We suggest that assessments for threatened species under environmental legislation – including proposed national environmental standards in Australia – be improved through strictly enforced minimum survey requirements, lest inadequate environmental impact assessments jeopardise the recovery of threatened species.