Suspend an environmental authority

Use our forms and fees finder for information on applying for a new environmental authority (EA) or managing your existing EAs.

If your activity operates intermittently, and you wish to suspend your activity for a year or longer, you may be able to suspend your environmental authority (EA) and avoid paying fees while you are not operating.

Apply to suspend an EA

To suspend your EA, you must submit an application to suspend an EA to your administering authority. Your application will need to specify the proposed suspension period, which must be for 1, 2 or 3 years. If the Queensland Government is your administering authority, you should submit a suspension application (ESR/2015/1728) (DOC, 173KB).

The administering authority will consider a number of issues when deciding your application, including:

  • the degree of risk of environmental harm that has already been caused by the relevant activity, or that might reasonably be expected to be caused during the suspension of the relevant activity
  • the likelihood of action being required to rehabilitate or restore and protect the environment because of environmental harm being caused during the suspension of the relevant activity
  • your environmental record.

The administering authority will decide your application within 20 business days. If approved, you will receive a notice specifying the suspension period for your EA, which will commence on your EA's next anniversary day. If you wish to recommence operation before the end of the suspension period, you can terminate the suspension by notifying your administering authority.

An annual fee for the next year is due each anniversary day. The application must be submitted in sufficient time to be decided before the next anniversary day of the EA otherwise the annual fee must be paid.

If you choose to terminate the suspension period early, a payment of the pro-rata annual fee – from the termination date until the next anniversary date – is required. For more information on how to calculate the pro-rata annual fee, refer to the fee calculator (ESR/2015/1731) (XLSX, 74KB).

Extending the suspension period

You can apply to extend the suspension period of an already suspended EA for a further term of 1, 2 or 3 years. If the Queensland Government is your administering authority, use the suspension application (ESR/2015/1728) (DOC, 173KB).

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