About the EIS process
Terms of reference (TOR)
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) the terms of reference (TOR) set out the content requirements of the environmental impact statement (EIS).
Proponents use the department’s approved form for a draft TOR (also referred to as the ‘generic terms of reference’) to develop a project-specific draft TOR.
The project-specific draft TOR is submitted to the department. If accepted, the department prepares a final terms of reference that reflects project-specific requirements. The department may seek advice, comment or information from others, particularly for critical matters and key statutory approvals.
The department issues a final TOR that the proponent must address in the preparation of their EIS.
What happens after the TOR Process?
The proponent has up to two years from receiving the final TOR to develop the EIS, but this can be extended (by agreement) once during that two year period.