Geothermal Energy Resources Regulations 2026

includes measures to ensure that the performance objectives and standards in the environment management plan are met; and

identifies the specific systems, practices and procedures to be used to ensure that any risks to the following arising from the geothermal energy operation are eliminated or minimised so far as is reasonably practicable––

the environment;

any member of the public, land or property in the vicinity of the operation;

any relevant geothermal energy or geothermal energy resource that the operation may affect; and

identifies the specific systems, practices and procedures to be used to ensure that the performance objectives and standards in the environment management plan are met; and

includes measures to ensure that each employee or contractor working in connection with the operation—

is aware of the employee's or contractor's responsibilities in relation to the environment, any member of the public, land or property in the vicinity of the operation; and

is aware of the employee's or contractor's responsibilities in relation to any geothermal energy or geothermal energy resource that the operation might affect; and

has the appropriate skills and training to be able to fulfil those responsibilities; and

provides for the monitoring and audit of the performance of the holder of the authority in relation to meeting the performance objectives and standards in the environment management plan; and

provides for review of the implementation strategy; and

provides for the maintenance of an accurate quantitative record of emissions and discharges into the air, onto the land surface environment or below the land surface environment that can be monitored and audited against the performance standards; and

includes arrangements for recording, monitoring and reporting information about the operation (including information required to be recorded under the Act, the regulations and any other environmental legislation applying to the activity) to enable the Minister to determine whether there is compliance with the environment management plan; and

includes procedures to ensure that details of all reportable incidents and recordable incidents are recorded and kept so that they may be made available to an inspector exercising a power under the Act; and

provides for appropriate consultation, ongoing for the duration of the operation, about the holder of the authority's performance with—

relevant agencies of the Commonwealth and the State; and

other relevant interested people and organisations; and

provides for the maintenance of an up‑to‑date emergency response manual that includes detailed response arrangements for—

dealing with any threat to the environment, to any member of the public, to land or to property in the vicinity of the operation and to any geothermal energy or geothermal energy resource that the operation might affect; and

ensuring that the threat does not harm anything or any person referred to in subparagraph (i).