Environmentally relevant activities (ERAs)

Environmentally Relevant Activities (ERAs) are activities that will, or have the potential to, release contaminants into the environment and may cause environmental harm. ERAs generally comprise of industrial activities whose operations have the potential to negatively impact on the environment through soil and water contamination, air emissions and waste generation.

It is a requirement of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 that anyone who conducts an ERA must hold a Development Approval and a Registration Certificate for that activity. Administration of ERAs are shared between local government and state government dependent on issues of environmental harm.

If you are operating ERAs that are devolved to local Government you will need to hold a Development Approval and Registration Certificate with Cairns Regional Council.

If your ERA is not devolved to Cairns Regional Council, contact the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) or obtain more information from the DERM website.

• How to apply for an ERA Development Approval
• How to apply for an ERA Registration Certificate
• Taking over an existing Registered Premises / Continuing Registration Certificate (Transfer)
• Application for Multiple Activities
• Council regulation of Environmentally Relevant Activities