Review of Environmental Factors (REF)

An REF is required to be implemented for ‘Activities’ such as those conducted by ‘self-determining authorities’ (e.g. government agencies and public authorities) as a part of the assessment of activities needing approval under NSW legislation and planning instruments, including:

• The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act);

• The Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act), including ‘Tests of Significance’ (5-part test);

• 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) and National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2002 (NP&W Reg);

• 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; and

• All other relevant State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP).

How can narla assist you?

Narla Environmental is experienced at providing Review of Environmental Factors (REF) reports and technical reports for public authorities throughout Greater Sydney and Regional NSW.

Narla’s team has over a decade of experience in producing REF reports for a suite of government agencies, and offer the following specialist services:

• Ecological Consultants (Biodiversity);

• Heritage Consultants (Aboriginal & European);

• Social & Visual Amenity;

• Traffic & Transport;

• Noise & Vibration;

• Contaminated Lands; and

• Water (Ground Water & Surface Water).

Contact Us for a Free Quote

Please contact Narla Environmental for a free quote for your next Review of Environmental Factors (REF).

Does my project require an REF Report?

An REF precedes the granting of an approval (ie. lease, licence, easement) for an ‘activity’ that is undertaken by, or on-behalf of a public authority. An approval cannot be granted until the REF is determined.

An REF serves three main purposes:

1. Assisting and documenting the determining authority’s determination of whether an activity should be approved, taking into account to the fullest extent possible of all matters affecting or likely to affect the environment (s.111 EP&A Act).

2. Assisting the determining authority’s determination of whether the activity is likely to have a significant effect on the environment or significantly affect threatened species, populations or ecological communities or their habitats, in which case an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and/or Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) will need to be prepared and considered before approval may be granted (s.112 EP&A Act).

3. Further assisting in the development of appropriate conditions should approval be given.

REF reports are accompanied by technical reports prepared by industry specialists, including; Ecological Consultants (Flora and Fauna Assessments), Heritage Consultants (Aboriginal & European Heritage Assessment Reports), Contaminated Lands (Environmental Scientists), Noise & Vibration, Visual & Amenity, Traffic & Transport and others to address the specific details required for the project approval. Not all REF documents require technical reports.

Our expertise

Narla Environmental is experienced at providing REF reports and technical reports for public authorities in Sydney and Regional NSW. We have worked for government agencies (e.g. Sydney Water and NSW Roads and Maritime Authority), and many local councils across New South Wales.

We are experienced in undertaking stakeholder and expert consultation to produce an effective REF report.

Narla Environmental understands the importance of meeting project deadlines while maintaining quality of work and can provide examples of previous work and references on request.

We service the whole of New South Wales, including Greater Sydney, Western Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle, Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Wollongong and Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven, Port Macquarie, North Coast, Central West, and the rest of regional New South Wales.