Australian projects designed for the production, distribution and use of energy are generally governed by specific legislation within individual States, mostly for the promotion and regulation of resource development. These projects are also subject to environmental protection provisions in Commonwealth and State legislation, in particular environmental impact assessment legislation, which has a much longer history than in Europe. This paper examines the application of the Commonwealth and the South Australian environmental impact assessment legislation to South Australian energy related projects, focusing on the period from 1982–1993. The paper notes the importance of the State government and its instrumentalities in all major energy supply and energy use projects. The paper also notes that significant energy related projects are subject to public scrutiny through the environmental impact assessment process in South Australia but that key energy policy decisions which may also have significant impacts are not subject to the same public scrutiny. The paper concludes by canvassing strategic environmental assessment options as an alternative to project based assessment for energy related projects.
Diversification and Environmental Impact Assessment of Plant Biomass Energy Use
