Review of Environmental Factors

A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is an environmental study required for all 'activities' undertaken in the state of New South Wales, Australia and assessed under Part 5 of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A Act).

Such Activities are usually assessed by a 'self-determining authority' which includes Councils, state Government Agencies and similar public authorities.

An REF addresses a list of general environmental matters such as Heritage, Contaminated Lands, Erosion and Sedimentation, Visual Amenity, Social,  Vehicle Traffic, Nosie and Vibration.

The more complex or significant the activity project the more detailed the REF. Some more complex REF such as linear infrastructure projects require 'Appendix Reports' to be produced by industry experts. The most common of these are the Test of Significance pursuant to section 7.3 of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 also known as an Ecological Impact Assessment or Flora and Fauna Report which is a specialty of Land Eco Consulting

An REF will address several different pieces of NSW legislation and planning instruments, including:

• The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act);
• The Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act);
• The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act);
• The Fisheries Management Act 1994 (FM Act);
• Water Management Act 2000 (WM Act);
• National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act);
• The Heritage Act 1977;
• Wilderness Act 1987;
• Rural Fires Act 1997;
• Biosecurity Act 2015;
• Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (PoEO Act);
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007; 
• State Environmental Planning Policy  Koala Habitat Protection 2020
• other State Regional Environmental Plans (SREPS)
• other State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP)

REF reports are usually prepared on behalf of a self-determining authority by an expert third party such as Land Eco Consulting.

If you would like to discuss your project or obtain a quote for a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) contact Land Eco Consulting.

 P: 0408 765 832
E: info@landeco.com.au