Environment Protection Act 1997
A1997-92
Republication No 70
Effective: 16 November 2025
Republication date: 16 November 2025
Last amendment made by A2025‑29
About this republication
The republished law
This is a republication of the Environment Protection Act 1997 (including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on 16 November 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting this republished law to 16 November 2025.
The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4.
Kinds of republications
The Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT legislation register at type="disc">
authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies
unauthorised republications.
The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication. Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.
This republication includes amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).
Uncommenced provisions and amendments
If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law are accessible on the ACT legislation register ( For more information, see the home page for this law on the register.
Modifications
If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation Act 2001, section 95.
Penalties
At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).
Environment Protection Act 1997
Contents
Page
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 2
3 Dictionary 2
3A Notes 2
3BOffences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc 3
3C Objects of Act 3
3D Principles applying to Act 5
4 Meaning of contaminated land 6
5 Things taken to have impact causing environmental harm 7
6 Application of Act to Emergencies Act 2004 7
7 Construction consistent with certain other laws 8
8 Limitation of application in relation to certain people and things 8
9 Civil remedies and common law not affected 9
10 Criminal liability of the Territory 10
Part 2 Administration
Division 2.1 Environment Protection Authority
11 Environment Protection Authority 11
12 Authority’s functions 11
13 Delegation by authority…