Assessments

The Australian Government’s bioregional assessments programs provide transparent scientific information to better understand the potential impacts of unconventional gas and coal mining developments on water and the environment. There are two separate programs of bioregional assessments.

Bioregional Assessment Program

The Bioregional Assessment Program is expected to be completed in 2018 and looked at the impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining developments on water resources and water-dependent assets over six bioregions. The Bioregional Assessment Program was one of a number of actions undertaken by the Australian Government to strengthen the science used to inform decisions on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments.

See: Bioregional Assessment Program for more information and available products.

Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program

The new Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program will assess impacts of shale and tight gas development. The program will run from 2017 through 2021 and will assess impacts across three priority basins: the Cooper Basin; the Isa Superbasin; and the Beetaloo Sub-basin. 

See: Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program for more information, including products available to date. 

Release of bioregional assessment results

The majority of Bioregional Assessment Program products are finalised and available from the Bioregional Assessment Program pages of this site. Full results will be made available by the end of 2018.

See: Bioregional Assessment Program

Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program products will be released progressively from 2018 onwards. These will be made available through the  Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program pages of this site.

See: Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program

How bioregional assessments can be used

Bioregional assessments from both programs will inform Commonwealth and state government decisions in regulating unconventional gas and coal mining operations. Development proponents can use the information in writing environmental impact statements for coal seam gas and coal mining proposals.

Bioregional assessments will also be used to identify data and knowledge gaps where further information is required before development applications proceed.